Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate
by WintrySkies1220
Summary: The Thousand Year War was over, the Quincy fallen. Five years after, 10th Division Captain Hitsugaya Toushiro was sent to the real world to investigate on strange reiatsus which had sprung up, and meets an old friend whom he treasures dearly. But then he is caught in a web of lies, love and betrayal. An evil plot is brewing, and it all revolves around him. Rated T to M. HitsuKarin.
1. FT COH: 00

_A/N Hey everyone! This is my first story on this site. I hope you'll like it! Please review if you do! Anyway, this is just the prologue, and I hope you find it interesting. Criticism is appreciated as well, though I'd rather you point out my mistakes nicely. Thanks everyone, and happy reading!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite does._**

* * *

Frozen dew glittered on the tips of leaves, glinting icily as the moon's rays shone down on them. Footsteps resounded, eerily loud in the freezing tense atmosphere. A man came into view, making his way towards the cave in front of him. His hood ruffled in the light wind as it blew by, a chilling breeze.

He stopped in front of the cave's entrance, peering into the dark and gloom. He placed his hands near his mouth, cupped so as to amplify his voice, and took in a deep breath.

But before he could say anything, a suffocating reiatsu descended, causing him to stagger, his knees buckling slightly. His breath was taken right out of him, sweat trickling down his forehead. Small pants escaped his lips, and he grimaced as he sensed the frightening aura wafting out from the cave mouth. Even though he had been around this powerful reiatsu for the past 50 years, he was still not used to it. He was easily overwhelmed by it.

 **"Who goes there...?"**

The man gulped at the hollowness of the voice as it came out from the hole in the wall. It sent goosebumps up his skin. "It is I, sir." He greeted, trembling slightly as the reiatsu grew more dense. There was a silence as the creature in the cave considered his reply. Then the sound of thumping footsteps echoed out, slow, yet heavy. The man swallowed his saliva again, nervously biting on his thumbnail.

 **"I'd recognise your voice anywhere... Have you brought it?"**

The man's breath hitched in his throat. He was not sure whether the monster would accept his decision. It had been tough to choose between all the suitable candidates of the almighty Seireitei. Eventually he had settled for the most interesting and unique person after thorough observation and plenty of patience. That particular figure, amongst all the other candidates, had been quite special. He had heard stories of how that person had taken part in the Thousand Year War, and even though many unpleasant happenings occured, he had still survived.

Though, due to the War, his appearance had changed dramatically.

"I have, sir. A photograph of the one which I believe will be suitable for you," he said, taking out a slip of paper and presenting it to the shadows of the cave, his hands shaking. A pause. Then an arm reached out from the hole, its skin terrifyingly bone white, tipped with menacingly razor sharp claws. It snatched the photo away from the man with a quick gesture, then retreated back to the darkness of the cave.

Again, silence fell, only this time it was nervous and tense with apprehension. Then a reverberating hiss came, and a snake-like tongue flickered out of the shadows. Only for a moment.

 **"I know him... He was such a brat a long time ago,"**

The man froze, his heart palpitating wildly against his chest in fear. "Are... Are you dissatisfied, sir?" He asked, stammering over his words. A deep chuckle responded.

 **"Not at all... I am pleased you have decided to choose him. Any other person and I might have wanted to suck them up dry once I got my hands on them."**

The man heaved a sigh of relief. Thank the Soul King. He was not going to get punished.

 **"I will take my time to toy with this boy. As old as his age may be, he is still a naive brat. It will be easy enough for you to capture him."**

The man nodded, though unsure whether the beast could see him. "Shall I make preparations now, sir?" He questioned, eager to get away from the blasted area. It was giving him the creeps. And if he continued to stay out here for too long, he might be noticed missing. After all, he was a seated officer in the Gotei 13.

 **"Let it wait. Patience is the key to surviving. Being too hasty will assure you nothing, and only end up with you being thrown into prison. Let us wait and see what the boy does. Report to me if anything of importance comes up,"**

The man nodded again, then bowed quickly, before hurrying away. He shunpoed into the trees, not bothering to look back at the daunting cave which was drawing further and further away from him with each passing moment.

A ray of moonlight streamed down near the mouth of the hole, and revealed two poison yellow pupils, irises pitch black. The eyes blinked slowly, and the serpentine tongue slipped out again with a hiss. The paper which the man had given was thrown out of the cave, before gently fluttering to the ground. It faced upwards, the picture on it clearly visible on the surface.

Stunning silvery-white hair.

Enchanting teal eyes.

There was no one else who had such distinctive features. The creature let out a sinister laugh, the sound bouncing off the walls with an empty tone. It already had a marvellous plot forming in its head. That plot would assure his revenge on the Seireitei, and finally his grudge would be accomplished.

A streak of flame shot out from the darkness and set the photo alight, burning it away into ashes. The image on it withered away, wrinkling and smoldering as the fire ate at it.

 _ **Just like what I will do to you...**_

All it needed was a little bit of patience, trickery, and war. Then the plan will be complete and set into motion.

No Shinigami would even know what had happened. There was no need for them to know anyway. They would just assume that the boy had betrayed them.

 _ **I hope you look forward to my plan, Shinigami...**_

 _ **Especially you, Little Whitehead...**_

* * *

 _A/N That's about it guys! Look forward to the next update, where our beloved main protagonist will make his appearance! Review please!_


	2. FT COH: 01

_A/N Hey guys! Welcome to the first chapter of Frozen Tears! In this chapter, there'll be a strange scene... What could it be? Let's find out! Happy reading everyone!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Though I wish I owned Hitsugaya._**

* * *

 _He stood in an icy plain, surrounded by crystals and ice. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but barren, broken ground, frost growing over the little cracks. Dead trees stood alone on the vast plain, their branches naked of leaves. There was no sign of life anywhere. The sky was a majestic dark marine blue instead of the usual sky colour, and instead of clouds, large chunks of ice floated in the air, slowly moving around through the sea-like sky._

 _Gazing around the area fondly, he proceeded to seek out his zanpakuto. He knew that he was in his inner world, though he had no idea why. He scanned the heavens for any signs of his dragon zanpakuto, looking for at least a glimmer of icy blue._

 _There were none._

 _He frowned at the absence of his beloved friend, and began to call out its name._

 _"Hyourinmaru!"_

 _No response came. He was met with utter silence. Frown growing deeper, he wandered around his inner world, scanning the horizons for any tell tale signs of a blue dragon. Once again, there was no breakthrough in his search. Sighing, he sat down on a rock, glancing up at the marine heavens above his head._

 _It was then a spark glinted, a powerful bright light up in the skies. He perked up expectantly when he felt a familiar reiatsu. Finally, his zanpakuto had come._

 _With a powerful gale, the ice dragon descended, spreading magnificent wings of frozen water. Ruby red eyes twinkled amusedly at him as the dragon wrapped its tail around his body. He smiled up at his companion, reaching for the reptile's snout as it bent down towards him. Stroking it lovingly, he decided to ask why he was in his inner world._

 ** _"Master, I have come to warn you."_**

 _The young man raised an eyebrow questioningly at his dragon, wondering what in the world he meant. "Warn me about what?" He asked, blinking as ruby eyes bore into his soul._

 ** _"You are in danger. I can sense it-"_**

 _A sudden explosion of black erupted from behind the two. The man, startled, looked behind the dragon in curiosity, wanting to know what had caused the explosion. His eyes widened alarmingly, his teal pupils taking in the sight before him._

 _Darkness poured out of a hole in the ground, thick ghastly tentacles reeking of death. The dragon let out a fearsome screech and took to the skies, its tail which had been wrapped around the man's waist yanking him into the air. An undignified yelp escaped the man's lips as he was forcefully carried by his dragon through the heavens, wondering frantically what was going on._

 _He glanced back at the overwhelming darkness, and froze when he saw that it was chasing them, disgusting black limbs reaching out into the air._

 _Then the darkness seemed to curl itself inwards, before springing back out with such force that it crashed into one of the dragon's wings. The man let out a gasp as his zanpakuto screeched again, flapping its wings in a desperate attempt to shake the darkness off it._

 _The reptile's efforts were futile. Eventually the darkness began to seep into the icy wings, black, greedy veins spreading out through the dragon's body._

 _With a pained, strangled cry, the dragon plummeted from the sky down to the ground, letting go of the man in the process. Grunting as he landed on the ground on his feet, the boy who looked to be the age of 18 stumbled, tripping over his legs._

 ** _"Run Master...! Run away...!"_**

 _He whirled around upon hearing his zanpakuto's pleading voice, only to see that very creature being devoured by the shadows. The tentacles of darkness held it down firmly as it thrashed in their grasp, black, sticky webs pressed against the dragon's icy hide._

 _"Hyourinmaru!" The young man cried out despairingly. He took a step forward, only to stop as he was ordered to move back, to run and hide away from the creature-like shadows. Teal eyes flashed furiously at the shadows engulfing his zanpakuto. He had to do something... There_ had _to be something he could do to help!_

 _"Hyourin-"_

 ** _"FLEE MASTER! NOW!"_**

 _The boy flinched at the roughness of his companion's tone and shrunk back, watching as the dragon slowly began to disintegrate before his eyes. "No! Hyourinma-"_

 ** _"I am sorry Master... But please, go... Before... The darkness..."_**

 **Eats you too.**

 _"NO!" The heartbroken boy watched as his zanpakuto's form shattered, melting away into the wind like the dragon had never been there. The shadows bubbled for a moment, before it became a violent mess of black, writhing around. To the boy's horror, a figure emerged from the spot his friend had once been in._

 _It was a beast from Hell. It was entirely black all over, only a distinct shape to its form telling him that it was no ordinary shadow. Suddenly two holes opened up on the creature's face where the eyes were meant to be, and the boy found himself staring into the depths of poison yellow pupils._

 _His blood froze over, his limbs stiffening. An emotion flashed through his body, sending every single nerve in him alive. How long had it been since he last felt this feeling? Since he ever experienced anything that awakened this emotion?_

 _He was afraid. Of the monster before him, and the fear of ending up like his beloved zanpakuto ravaged his mind. He felt his sanity stretch in the presence of the shadowy inhuman being, his mind nearing the edge of madness._

 ** _"Fear..."_**

 ** _"Fear..."_**

 ** _"Fear... Me..."_**

 _His eyes widened further as the beast spoke, a deep rumbling, ancient voice, which seemed so foreign... yet so familiar at the same time. He took a few more steps back, his breath caught in his throat, his mind whirling in confusion. Then he whipped around and ran, pumping his legs as he sprinted away from the creature, putting in all of his energy to escape._

 _He knew the shadows were chasing after him, hot on his trail._

 _He could sense their presence behind him, slowly gaining on him._

Forgive me... Hyourinmaru... _the boy thought, despair and grief wrecking his mind. He risked a look behind, and saw the darkness still following him, splashing around like black, murky waves. The monstrosity from before was nowhere to be seen._

 _He turned back, feeling a slight bit of hope swell in his chest._

 _Until a claw of darkness shot forward and grabbed him by the neck._

 _A splutter, then struggling, as the boy tried to free himself from the black shadow's iron grip. The touch of the shadow burned him, and he let out a strangled scream of anguish, his beautiful teal eyes dulling and dilating from the agony._

 _He attempted to kick at the figure, but it caught his leg, and with a sickening crunch, snapped his ankle. A howl echoed through the air as the boy felt pain zap through him, his nerves jolting and jumping wildly. His body grew slack, and all he could do was endure the fiery sensation against his skin, gasping for air._

 _The creature pulled back an arm, its fingers sharp and dripping with a strange black liquid._

 ** _"You..."_**

 _A slit opened up on the creature's face, and it curved into a malicious grin, fangs bared at the weakening boy. Then, with a laugh, it stabbed its arm through his body, piercing him accurately through the heart._

 ** _"Are mine..."_**

* * *

"Taicho~!" Matsumoto Rangiku, 10th Division Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13, hollered, slamming the office door open. Seated at his desk, an imposing figure sipping tea from a cup and a thin brush in hand, was Hitsugaya Toshirou, Captain of the 10th Division. The ice captain grimaced at the loudness of his vice, nearly spitting out his tea.

"What is it, Matsumoto?" He asked agitatedly, trying to calm his nerves. Matsumoto merrily skipped into the office she shared with her captain, ignoring the piles of paperwork on her desk. Hitsugaya watched her as the busty woman pulled open a drawer of her table, his irritation growing by the minute.

"Ah! Found it!" The vice-captain suddenly gave a cry, bringing a scowl to the prodigy's face when she revealed several large sake bottles. "I'm going over to the 9th Division for Shuuhei's party!" She announced, blinking innocently at her young captain. A tick mark appeared on Hitsugaya's forehead.

"Absolutely not," he snapped harshly, standing up from his seat abruptly. Matsumoto's face fell.

"Why?" She whined, clutching the precious bottles closer to her chest in fear of her hot-tempered captain snatching them away and breaking them. Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sat back down. He indicated to the large amount of paperwork that were almost toppling over on the vice-captain's desk.

"You've still got a lot of work to do. Complete them all before you go for that blasted party," he grumbled, dipping his brush into the ink holder, wetting the tip with black dye. Matsumoto's eyes widened disbelievingly.

"But it'll take me forever to finish them all!" She protested vehemently, pouting at her captain. "By the time I'm done with them, the party will be over, and I'll become an old hag!" She went on.

"I'd rather you become an old hag from paperwork than from excessive drinking," Hitsugaya muttered, quickly finishing up the last slip of paperwork which he had to do. Matsumoto's eye twitched at her captain's words.

"What did you say Taicho?" She said threateningly, a sinister aura enveloping her. Her nails became sharper as she glared at the young captain. Hitsugaya let out a yawn, blinking his teal eyes tiredly at her. He pushed back his chair and set his brush down, running a hand through his silvery-white hair to spike it up a bit more.

"I'm already done. I'll be taking a nap, so by the time I wake up I expect to see all your paperwork completed. If not you can kiss those sake bottles of yours goodbye," he barked sharply. Matsumoto hunched, the evil aura disappearing, and she placed her sake bottles back into the drawer. Sulking, she plopped down on her seat and began to do some paperwork.

Hitsugaya sat on the sofa, stretching his sore limbs. Lying his head down on a cushion, he let himself relax, his eyelids drooping tiredly. But then a memory flashed through his mind and he flinched, cringing.

 _That dream..._

He could still remember every single specific detail in the nightmare he experienced from the previous night. Hyourinmaru had gotten eradicated by some shadows. And the creature stabbed him. It had seemed so real that Hitsugaya almost _believed_ it was real, and that the life he was living in now was just a dream.

But then he had woken up after being 'stabbed', and found himself lying on the ground, having rolled out of his bed. He had been drenched in sweat, the liquid wetting the floor of his quarters. He was lucky he did not have to endure the feeling of a shirt sticking to his body due to the sweat, as he normally slept without a shirt on, only a pair of pants.

Not that he would tell that to anybody.

Hitsugaya found that he couldn't bear to sleep, at least, not for now. He did not want to see that dream ever again. _I hope it won't come back..._

It was then a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Hitsugaya commanded, sitting up. He sensed Matsumoto's surprise radiating off her, but ignored it.

In came a messenger from the 1st Division obviously with a message in hand. "Hitsugaya Taicho, your presence is requested by the Sou-Taicho. He has called for a Captain's Meeting," he reported, getting on one knee in a form of respect towards the ice captain.

"Very well. You are dismissed," The messenger shunpoed away.

Hitsugaya furrowed his eyebrows, pondering.

 _Now what does that Kyouraku want this time...?_

* * *

 _A/N There you have it everyone! A Captain's Meeting! What does Kyouraku want now? Find out in the next chapter! Reviews please! :)_


	3. FT COH: 02

_A/N Hey guys! So I'm back! In case some of you were wondering about what I meant in the previous chapter, meaning the mention about Kyouraku, I'll explain it in this chapter. I hope all of you have been enjoying the story so far, even though it's only been two chapters! Thanks to **yashiro-san**_ _, **Ari 347** and **Nozomi Rizuki 1414** for reviewing this story! I greatly appreciated your comments! There will be some spoilers concerning the current manga chapters in here, but I hope you all don't mind! :) Now moving on! Du du duuu! Happy reading!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite is Bleach God. But the manga is being updated slow..._**

* * *

Hitsugaya made his way to the 1st Division Barracks's Meeting Hall at a leisurely pace, where the Captain's Meeting would be held. He stifled a yawn, his eyelids fluttering with exhaustion. The strange dreams he had been having were really causing him to have insufficient rest. _But I wonder why I keep having them..._ the young captain thought, a frown settling upon his teenager-like features.

Just recently, before the last dream he had, his sleep had been plagued with images of sinister poison yellow eyes, brimmed with hate, and strangely yet, glee. The visions began after he had caught his fourth-seat, Kazuko Rinei, sneaking off in the middle of the night two weeks ago. The fourth-seat had blurted out an excuse before the icy captain could even demand why he had snuck out, blabbering that he could not sleep from the stress of paperwork.

Hitsugaya couldn't blame the man for that. Kazuko had only recently been promoted to fourth-seat from his previous fifth-seat position, thus more work being shoved at him. But he was a hard worker, and Hitsugaya was beginning to consider promoting him again to third-seat. At least there would be someone else to help him. That lazy vice-captain of his was almost of no use at all.

As the 10th Division Captain walked through the streets of Seireitei, his arms crossed over his chest, the Shinigami around him greeted him. The females all blushed when he went past them, huddling together with their faces tinted rose pink. For what reason, Hitsugaya had no idea. It had been going on for the past few years already, and he had a nagging feeling that it was because of his different appearance.

During the War against the Quincies, many things had happened to him, both unfortunate and fortunate. One of the unfortunate things was that he had encountered an enemy that could not be defeated, even with the power of three captains combined, when they were up in the Soul King's realm. It had been a difficult task, and that particular quincy had not died even when Zaraki Kenpachi, legendary 11th Division Captain, had sliced him in half, regenerating back again.

Because of that, Hitsugaya had been forced to reveal the true power of his Bankai, Daiguren Hyourinmaru. It had caused him to age, turning into an adult; a form he was not very fond of. However, once that happened, he could not revert back to his original form, and was now permanently stuck as a man who looked around 18 years or older.

The prodigy captain sighed, rubbing his temples. It had been frustrating enough when his subordinates had been shocked by the sudden change, the worst reactions coming from his childhood friend Hinamori Momo, 5th Division Vice-Captain, and Matsumoto. Kurotsuchi Mayuri, 12th Division Captain had only been intrigued by his new form, and requested for a few experiments to be done on him, which the ice captain had adamantly refused.

After the War was over, the female Shinigami had strangely swooned over him, including those from his own Division. It was highly irritating.

Eventually, Hitsugaya reached the 1st Division Meeting Hall, having been in deep thought all the way. Hirako Shinji, 5th Division Captain, met him outside, greeting him with a tilt of the head.

"No matter how many times I see you, your appearance always stuns me," Hirako remarked, a slight smirk on his face. Hitsugaya scowled, adjusting his Captain's haori awkwardly. He had been getting the same comments from several other people he knew, especially from Kurosaki Ichigo, Substitue Shinigami. That annoying orange-headed bastard didn't know when to keep his mouth shut sometimes.

Hirako gave a careless shrug, his eyes looking away from the ice captain. The 5th Division Captain didn't say anything after that, and Hitsugaya was glad there were some sensible people who knew when to not say anything, unlike a certain _someone_...

Together, the two Captains entered the Hall, where a few other Captains were already present.

Soi Fon, the 2nd Division Captain, Rose Otoribashi, the 3rd Division Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, the 6th Division Captain and Kensei Muguruma, the 9th Division Captain. The Sou-Taicho was nowhere to be seen.

Hitsugaya scoffed, before taking his place a few distance away from Byakuya. Hirako went over to stand beside Rose. After a moment of waiting, the other few remaining Captains came.

Komamura Sajin, the 7th Division Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi Mayuri. At the same moment, Kyouraku Shunsui, Sou-Taicho of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the 1st Division, rushed in through a hidden back door, wheezing exaggeratedly. The Captains stood in two lines, watching as Kyouraku stumbled further into the Hall.

The 4th, 8th and 13th Division Captain positions were sadly empty.

Hitsugaya ignored Kyouraku as the Sou-Taicho apologised about being late, tilting his straw hat towards his fellow captains. Teal eyes lingered at the spot beside Kenpachi, where the former 13th Division Captain, Ukitake Juushirou, used to stand. He felt a slight, painful tug at his heart strings and winced, reminded of the death of the kind, friendly captain.

Before the Gotei 13 went up to the Soul King's realm, where Kurosaki Ichigo already was, the Soul King had somehow been killed, thus causing the realms he controlled to slowly be destroyed. To prevent this, Ukitake had called for the help of the Soul King's right arm, Mimihagi, and sacrificed himself to the 'god'. Unfortunately, the plan to replace the Soul King with Mimihagi failed as the leader of the Quincies, Yhwach, absorbed Mimhagi away, thus causing Ukitake to perish.

The former Sou-Taicho of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, was also killed by the Quincy boss, which was why Kyouraku, previous 8th Division Captain, was now the Sou-Taicho, having been named as successor.

How the 4th Division Captain Unohana Retsu died was still unclear to Hitsugaya. He only knew that Kenpachi had killed her in order to fulfill something, and that it was the healer's last wish.

As there were three empty Captain slots, Kyouraku had attempted to find replacements as soon as the War was over. He had consulted those who had Bankai, including the Substitute Shinigami himself and the former Captains, only to have his offer turned down. Ichigo had been very firm, saying that his duty was to protect his family, friends and home which was Karakura Town, and that he was not even a full Shinigami.

Urahara Kisuke, former 12th Division Captain and Yoruichi Shihoin, former 2nd Division Captain, fired back by stating that they did not want to go through the burden of handling a Squad again, and that there were many other youthful Shinigami to choose from.

Abarai Renji, 6th Division Vice-Captain, Madarame Ikkaku, 11th Division third-seat and Hisagi Shuuhei, 9th Division Vice-Captain, had all given the same reasons: that they wanted to continue helping their respective Captains and had no intention of shouldering all the leadership of being one.

The flustered Sou-Taicho even asked the Vizards, former Shinigami who were half-Hollow, but was immediately rejected, as the group enjoyed the freedom they had currently and did not want to lose it by rejoining the Gotei 13. Hirako, Rose and Kensei were Vizards as well and Captains before, and they were the only ones who decided to go back, before the War started.

"Ahh... I really am sorry. I was just going around visiting my old barracks and subordinates before the Meeting and forgot the time..." Kyouraku was still apologising, scratching the back of his head with a goofy smile on his face.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Get on with it," Kenpachi grumbled, letting out a _tsk_ of annoyance. Kyouraku merely gave a laugh, then settled onto the chair at the end of the Hall, where the Sou-Taicho was meant to sit. He huffed out a sigh, and his gaze immediately became serious. A tense silence fell, the Captains all staring at their Sou-Taicho expectantly.

"Kurotsuchi Taicho... I suppose you have something to report, don't you?" The Sou-Taicho said, leaning forward, his chin resting on the back of his hands, staring at the mad scientist Captain of the 12th Division. Hitsugaya gave Mayuri, who was standing to his right, a glance, narrowing his eyes. The said Captain went forward, away from his line, and faced the others.

"Just recently, we have detected some strange reiatsu readings in the World of the Living," Mayuri began, a grin on his black-white striped face.

"What kind of reiatsu readings? Are they Arrancar? Or _Quincy_?" Soi Fon asked, her lips curling in disgust at the mention of the bow-and-arrow wielders whom they had defeated in the recent war. Soft murmuring broke out amongst the Captains as they wondered what Mayuri was talking about. The scientist rolled his eyes, flicking his fingers in the air, blackened nails glinting.

"I'm not finished yet. These reiatsus don't appear to be Arrancar, or Quincy for that matter. It's something else entirely..."

More murmuring, increasing in urgency. Hitsugaya himself was confused by what Mayuri had said, and glanced towards Byakuya, who caught his eye and gave him a silent nod in return.

"Do you know what it is?" Kyouraku questioned, his expression severe. Mayuri frowned, giving a helpless shrug.

"We are still in the midst of researching, but... rather disturbingly, it appears that we do not have enough data about them to figure out what kind of creature possesses such reiatsu." The Captain went on. Hitsugaya's brow twitched, somehow getting a feeling that what happened next would not be very good.

Having heard that, the Head Commander perked up, raking his gaze over all the Captains before him. "So you need someone to go down and collect data?" He said, moving his stare back to the scientist. Mayuri gave a thoughtful _hmm_ , then reluctantly nodded.

"I myself can't go as I have to foresee the research," he stated, smirking. A dreadful feeling settled itself in the pits of Hitsugaya's stomach.

"Well then, would any of the other Captains like to go and investigate?" Kyouraku asked, blinking. No one volunteered. He gave a sigh, then tried another tactic. "What about we vote? The one with the most votes-" he paused when he realised all the Captains weren't listening to him after he mentioned about the voting on who goes to the real world, instead staring at a particular man who seemed rather uncomfortable.

Hitsugaya pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and letting out an agitated sigh. He should have known this would happen. He felt the stares of his fellow Captains on him and shifted awkwardly, crossing his arms across his chest and looking away.

After all, the prodigy captain had gone to the real world more times than the rest, and therefore knew the area better.

"Well, looks like the candidate has been chosen," Kyouraku said, annoyingly happy. Hitsugaya raised his head and scowled at him. "... Though I am very sure he is _not_ happy about it," the Sou-Taicho added when he felt the temperature drop by a few noticeable degrees.

 _Damn right I'm not,_ Hitsugaya grumbled inwardly. "I'll go, I'll go..." he muttered, shooting Mayuri an accusing glare before huffing. The other Captains immediately stopped staring at him, much to the ice captain's relief.

"Good! You can choose whoever you want to go with you to the World of the Living. Does two days sound like enough time for you?" The Head Commander asked. Hitsugaya gave him a curt nod, still feeling slightly pissed. "Very well! Now, does anyone have anything else to say?"

"I'll go with Hitsugaya Taicho," Hirako blurted out, stepping forward just as Mayuri stepped back into line. Hitsugaya blinked, stunned. Kyouraku raised his eyebrow questioningly at the 5th Division Captain.

"For what reason, Hirako Taicho?"

"Well, considering the fact that I've stayed in hiding there for 110 years, I know the town relatively well too. And it's been some time since I've visited the gang," Hirako replied, grinning at Hitsugaya and winking at him. Hitsugaya let an amused half-smile slip on his face, before quickly replacing it with his usual frown.

Kyouraku considered the Captain-Vizard's reason for a moment, before smiling merrily and nodding away. "That's fine~ You're welcome to go along with Hitsugaya Taicho too," he said. Hirako smirked and finally stepped back.

"Oh yes... Since this is an unknown enemy we're talking about, it might also be a threat to Soul Society. I want all the Divisions to be battle-ready should the need to fight ever come," the Head-Commander advised sternly, then lay back on his chair, letting out a sigh. "The Meeting is over. Captains, you are dismissed," he said, waving at the said people as they began to leave.

Hitsugaya walked out of the Hall, wondering who he should take with him to the real world, when Hirako approached him. "Oh, Hirako." He said absently, not glancing at the 5th Division Captain.

Hirako smirked. "Happy that I'm going with you? You won't have to handle everything by yourself now," he said. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, smirking slightly.

"You really didn't have to. But thanks anyway,"

"My pleasure. So, who're you going to take along with you? I'm just going to bring Momo with me," Hirako asked, matching the ice captain's pace as they left the 1st Division Barracks. Hitsugaya frowned at him. _Hinamori?_

Noticing the disapproving look on the 10th Division Captain's face, Hirako gave a shrug. "She needs the experience. She's rarely left the Seireitei at all, and it's about time she went down to the real world. The mission could be an excuse for her to stop worrying so much about paperwork for once," he replied, answering Hitsugaya's unsaid question.

The ice captain pondered for a moment. _It's true Hinamori needs to experience being out in the real world for once... But we have to deal with unknown enemies since that's the mission. These aren't Hollows or Quincies..._

 _But then she'll tell me not to worry about her. She's that kind of person._

"I suppose that's fine then," Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hirako grinned. "Well, I'll tell her about this now. See ya later Hitsugaya Taicho," Then the 5th Division Captain was gone, shunpoing away. Hitsugaya grumbled, still having not made up his mind yet about who to bring along with him.

 _This will be very troublesome..._

* * *

 _A/N And that's it guys! :) Hitsugaya was chosen to go! And I really really really hope you don't mind the spoilers Dx Well, now who do you guys think Hitsugaya will bring along with him? Do give me your thoughts! Thanks guys! The next chapter will be out soon! :) Review please!_


	4. FT COH: 03

_A/N Hey guys! Sorry about the late update! And now we're back at Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! In the previous chapter, I asked all of you if you could guess who Hitsugaya was going to bring to the real world with him and Hirako, right? Well, let's find out now! Happy reading!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I own the plot of this story though. It is hard to come up with plots. Kubo Tite owns everything else related to Bleach, but not really the other fanfics..._**

* * *

Hitsugaya returned to his barracks, still pondering about who to bring with him. He knew Matusmoto would insist on going along if she ever found out about it. To use it as an excuse to go shopping in the real world and ditching him so he can do all the work alone, as usual. _What if I brought Kazuko? I don't think he's ever been to the World of the Living before..._ the ice captain thought, realising that it would be a good idea to bring the fourth-seat.

 _He_ is _more trustworthy than Matsumoto in terms of work..._

"Taaaaiiiiichooooooo~!" Came a high-pitched voice, one which Hitsugaya immediately recognised. A presence rushing towards him to his left alerted him, and he instinctively ducked, narrowly missing Matsumoto who had attempted to hug him by taking a flying leap. His vice-captain flew over his head, a shocked expression on her face, as she crashed face-first to the ground in a heap.

As Hitsugaya had aged, he was slightly taller than Matsumoto by a few inches, thus forcing the busty vice to jump on her captain in order to smother his face in her large bosom.

"Oowwww... Taicho! How could you dodge me?!" The vice-captain whined, pouting as she rubbed her nose. "If my nose broke, I would've made you pay for my surgery!" Hitsugaya smirked, rolling his eyes.

"And I would've taken the money from your salary," he retorted back, walking back to his office with Matsumoto in tow, after she had gotten up.

The vice-captain let out a small whine, pouting further. "You're so mean Taicho!" She complained, clenching her fists. Hitsugaya ignored her, now returning to his thoughts once more. "Neh, Taicho, what was the Meeting about?"

The ice captain perked up, snapping his head towards his lazy vice. "Why would you like to know?" He snapped, narrowing his eyes at the strawberry-blonde.

"Well, before you came back, Hirako Taicho came by together with Hinamori, asking if you were around. They're waiting in the office," Matsumoto explained. Hitsugaya stopped abruptly in his tracks, right in front of his office door. His vice-captain slammed into his back, surprised by the sudden pause. _Hirako? That quickly?_

"Matsumoto... Can I trust you to stay outside for a while? My conversation with Hirako-"

The office door slammed open suddenly, cutting Hitsugaya off. Hirako stood at the doorway, a grin plastered on his face. He tilted his head at the ice captain, who scowled, and his grin widened. "Hey Hitsugaya Taicho. I was wondering when you would return," the 5th Division Captain said. "Have you decided who to bring along to the real world?"

"Real world?" Matsumoto blinked, letting out a gasp. She whipped her head towards her young captain, who had his arms crossed over his chest and pointedly not looking at either of the two people with him. "What does Hirako Taicho mean by 'real world', Taicho?"

"Hah? Hitsugaya Taicho didn't tell you? There's a matter going on in the World of the Living, so we're going down there to investigate. The Sou-Taicho said we could bring whoever we want along with us," Hirako explained, looking slyly at the ice captain, who now had his face flushed a deep scarlet. "You didn't tell your vice-captain because you didn't want her slacking off, didn't you, Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"Eeeehhhh?! How dare you not tell me about something as important as this Taicho! I'll smother you!" Matsumoto flared childishly, before leaping at her captain and smooshing his face to her chest. Hitsugaya let out a muffled cry as he was toppled down, landing on his back with his face still pressed against his vice-captain's bosom. It didn't help that her arm was pushing him closer.

Hirako watched in amusement as the prodigy captain suffocated in his own vice-captain's large breasts, thrashing beneath her in a struggle for air. A few of the 10th Division's Shinigami who were passing by watched, horrified at the sight. It must've looked really wrong to them.

"Rangiku-san, please stop! Shiro-chan will die at this rate!" A female voice came from the office. Hirako stepped back to let Hinamori Momo come through, her hands on her hips. Matsumoto stopped and slowly got up from her captain, allowing Hitsugaya to breathe.

The ice captain slumped on the floor, taking in deep gulps of air, his face burning crimson. Slowly sitting up, he shot Matsumoto a death glare, swearing to himself for not paying attention to his vice which allowed her to catch him.

He let out a cough, getting to his feet and dusting his clothes, before adjusting his haori once more. He glared at Matsumoto again, but before he could enter his office togther with Hirako and Hinamori, a new voice greeted them. "Hirako Taicho and Hinamori Fuku-Taicho?"

The four, two captains and two vice-captains, whirled around to face the newcomer, who turned out to be Kazuko Rinei, 10th Division fourth-seat. "Ah, Kazuko. Perfect timing. Come in, I have something to discuss with you, along with the others here," Hitsugaya said, narrowing his eyes at his lieutenant for a short moment to inform her that he was letting her off lightly this time round, though there would still be a punishment for trying to kill him through suffocation.

Kazuko gulped visibly and nervously entered the office after the captains and vice-captains went back in, closing the door behind him. "Ah... Hitsugaya Taicho, should I... Uhm... Get some tea?" He asked, and Hitsugaya noticed that the fourth-seat's hands had become clammy with sweat.

"There's no need to be so tense Kazuko. I'm not going to punish you, since you did nothing wrong. And yes, do get some tea, thank you," the ice captain reassured, blinking at the fidgety fourth-seat. A flash of relief passed through Kazuko's face, and he bowed, before hurrying to a corner of the office where Hitsugaya stored his tea leaves and cups.

The four settled onto the couches in the office, the Captains on one side and the Vice-Captains on the other. "So, decided yet? It shouldn't be that hard right?" Hirako asked, obviously getting slightly impatient.

"Kyouraku Sou-Taicho gave us two days, so there's no need to rush," Hitsugaya fired back, getting fed up with Hirako's impatience. The 5th Division Captain didn't reply to that, instead shrugging and lying back on the couch.

"But do you have anyone in mind?" He asked, glancing at the ice captain beside him. Hitsugaya gathered his thoughts and mused for a moment. Since Matsumoto had already found out about the mission, he might as well let her come along; he didn't want to endure hearing her whine and beg him to take her with him. Then there was also...

"Well, Matsumoto will be coming along, since she already found out about the mission because of a certain _someone_..." Hitsugaya shot Hirako a pointed glare, and the Vizard merely smirked. "And I was also thinking of bringing Kazuko Rinei too,"

At this, the sound of a tray being dropped and cups smashing echoed through the office, causing the four higher-ups to turn to see what was going on. "I-I'm so sorry Hitsugaya Taicho. I-I'll clean this all up r-right away," the said fourth-seat stuttered, apparently having dropped a tray ladened with tea that had been ready for drinking, bending down to pick up the broken cup fragments lying scattered over the floor. Tea stained the ground, spreading out further like water being soaked up by a cloth.

Hitsugaya stood up and walked over to the bent fourth-seat, squatting down beside him. He placed a hand on Kazuko's shoulder, causing the panicky man to pause in his work. "There's no need to apologise, Kazuko. After all, I was the one who startled you by saying that I wanted to bring you along with me to the real world for the mission," he told his subordinate calmly, a small half-smile on his face.

Kazuko stared at him, his eyes widening in astonishment. A flicker of regret showed in the fourth-seat's red eyes, confusing Hitsugaya for a moment, before relief flooded them. "Th-thank you, Hitsugaya Taicho... But... Why would you want to choose me? I-I'm just your fourth-seat... My fighting prowess isn't all that good, and even my Kido abilities are average... So why...?" His voice trailed off when the ice captain stood back upright.

"Technically, your abilities aren't really that well-developed yet I have to admit, but you're a hard worker, unlike your vice-captain sitting over there," Hitsugaya explained, jerking his thumb back at Matsumoto. A mortified squawk came in reply, and the 10th Division Captain smirked. "And I trust you. Is that enough for a reason?"

Kazuko only stared up at his captain, the look on his face one of speechlessness. Then he dropped his gaze, looking away, but Hitsugaya could see the man's face glowing with pride. "Yes, Taicho..."

"Good. Now go get a cloth. Matsumoto will help you clean this up," the ice captain ordered, shooting a glance behind his back at his vice-captain. The strawberry-blonde woman gaped at him upon hearing that.

"What? But why Taicho?" She complained, giving him a sad puppy face. Hitsugaya ignored it, glowering at her.

"Just do it already," he snapped, and Matsumoto sighed in defeat, getting up from the couch she shared with Hinamori. Hitsugaya sat back down, letting out a sigh as he crossed his arms.

"So besides those two, anyone else Shiro-chan?" Hinamori asked, blinking her large brown eyes at her childhood friend, similar to a brother to her. Hitsugaya scowled at the nickname.

"That'll be 'Hitsugaya Taicho' to you, Hinamori. How many times do I have to say that?" He snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hirako leaned towards him, cocking his head.

"But Ichigo calls you by your name, 'Toshirou'. How come Momo can't call you by your nickname?" The 5th Squad Captain asked, a slight mocking sneer in his tone. Hitsugaya shot him a glare, leaning back against the couch with his back upright.

"Kurosaki is a different case. He's stubborn. And he's a _Substitute_ Shinigami, not part of the Gotei 13. Hinamori is a vice-captain of the Divisions, so she should at least address me properly." He muttered, knowing that the reason sounded slightly ridiculous.

"But Shiro-chan is still Shiro-chan. And I like your nickname," the 5th Division Vice-Captain giggled, which made Hitsugaya frown a bit deeper. "Anyway, back to the topic," she quickly cut in before the ice captain could respond.

Hitsugaya pondered further. _Abarai seems like a good choice... He does know the real world relatively well too... And so does Madarame... But if I brought Madarame along, Ayasegawa would insist on going along too... And Abarai would probably tell Kuchiki about the matter... And since Matsumoto and Hinamori are going, Hisagi and Kira might want to join..._

 _Darn... Why does everything have to be so complicated?!_

"Oi, Hitsugaya Taicho. You done daydreaming?" Hirako's voice snapped the ice captain out of his train of thoughts. Hitsugaya sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Well... I was thinking of Abarai and Madarame... But if they went, Ayasegawa and Kuchiki might insist on going too... And since Matsumoto and Hinamori are going, Hisagi and Kira might want to join in... It'll be quite a big party..." he admitted, running a hand through his hair, spiking it up a bit further.

"You thought till _that_ point? You're overthinking Hitsugaya Taicho," Hirako snorted amusedly, earning himself a scowl from the ice captain. "Not that it's a bad thing. But you may never know till you try," he quickly added before the prodigy made the temperature drop a few degrees.

Hitsugaya snorted. "I guess you're right..."

"Well, let's go find them then!" Hinamori exclaimed cheerily. The two captains glanced at each other, eyes meeting briefly. Then they nodded and followed Hinamori out the office door.

"Eh?! Taicho! Wait for me!" A forgotten Matsumoto cried out in alarm. She got up from where she was crouched beside Kazuko and ran after her captain, leaving an amused-looking fourth-seat behind.

* * *

"... So we were wondering if you would like to come with us to the real world." Hitsugaya finished, gazing at the two men in front of him. One had blazing red hair that was tied up, spread out like a mane. A bandana was wrapped around his forehead, and intricate tattoos were marked above his eyebrows; a very unique and distinctive look. The other man was as bald as a cue ball, sunlight reflecting off it. He too had markings near his eyes. The group, consisting of Hitsugaya, Hirako, Hinamori and Matsumoto- who had managed to catch up with them- had found the two in the 11th Division dojo, sparring.

"Sounds like fun," the bald man, who was Madarame Ikkaku, third-seat of the 11th Division, mused.

"Well, it does seem a little interesting..." the redhead, Abarai Renji, Vice-Captain of the 6th Division, replied, an eyebrow raised.

"So you'll join us?" Hinamori asked hopefully, gazing up at Renji with huge brown eyes. The redhead grinned, pumping his fist.

"Hell yeah I will! It's been a long time since I last went there, with all the rebuilding and everything. And we might be able to crash by Ichigo's place while we're there," he answered, his small black pupils gleaming in excitement. He thwacked the wooden sparring sword in his hands against his neck. "I'll have to inform Kuchiki Taicho first though, so he can give me permission to leave,"

"I guess I'll go too then. Not much to do here anyway," Ikkaku gave a sly grin. "I've gotta tell Zaraki Taicho too,"

Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The thing he hated about being with a bunch of people who loved to party was that he was afraid they would _start partying._ Especially when they had much more improtant things to do, like the mission for instance.

"Alright then. See you in two days Renji, Ikkaku," Hirako waved as they disappeared, obviously heading to their respective captains to report the news. Hitsugaya turned and walked off, back in the direction of his Division Barracks.

"Oi, oi. Hitsugaya Taicho. Why not we find more people to go with us? Seven seems like a pretty small number. Maybe-" Hirako began.

"There's no need," the ice captain cut in. He gave a look behind his back at the 5th Division Captain, Hinamori standing beside him. "When the time has come, on the day we leave, four more people will join us, more or less. There's no need to waste more time asking people,"

Hirako watched as Hitsugaya went off, arms crossed over his chest in his usual gesture, with Matsumoto on his heels. He felt faintly confused, but knew that the prodigy captain would be right about more people coming uninvited.

Whenever Hitsugaya had a gut feeling, he would always be right, after all.

* * *

Two days passed by quickly. In fact, far too quickly. Hitsugaya still had many things to do, like more paperwork to finish up, but that would have to wait. The mission was more important.

He had sent out Hell Butterflies to notify the people who were meant to go with him on the mission that they were to gather at the Senkaimon Gate at noon sharp. Right now, it was 11.50 a.m, and Hitsugaya was already there with Matsumoto and a trembling Kazuko, tapping his foot impatiently.

Then came the 5th Division Captain and Vice-Captain, shunpoing as fast as they could in order to reach the gate on time. "Hey. Looks like we're a little early," Hirako gave Hitsugaya a wide grin. The ice captain scoffed in return.

If there was ever anyone who could compete against Zaraki Kenpachi in a smiling contest, it would be Hirako. He had one of the biggest smiles Hitsugaya had ever seen. Kenpachi only smiled widely when he was battling against a very powerful opponent, and was excited that the match was fun enough to satisfy his bloodthirst.

A minute later, Renji and Ikkaku showed up, but with a few little friends.

Kuchiki Rukia, Vice-Captain of the 13th Division, Hisagi Shuuhei, Vice-Captain of the 9th Division, Kira Izuru, Vice-Captain of the 3rd Division, and Ayasegawa Yumichika, fifth-seat of the 11th Division.

Exactly four people, like what Hitsugaya had mentioned two days earlier.

The ice captain glanced at Hirako, whose jaw had dropped at the accurate prediction. "Told you more would come," he said bluntly, smirking at the dumbfounded look on his fellow captain's face.

"H-Hitsugaya Taicho... We have our reasons why we want to-" Rukia spoke up bravely, an embarrassed flush on her cheeks. Hitsugaya raised up his hand, a signal for her to stop. He rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh.

"I knew this would happen. There's no need for explaining. You four are free to come with us," he said, his tone monotonous. The four said people bowed their thanks.

"Now, no more time for idle chatter. Let's go," he commanded, and nodded towards the Senkaimon Gate's guards, who pulled back the door of the Senkaimon. A bright light shone and the group went in, entering the Precipice World. A few Hell Butterflies accomapnied them as they ran through, towards the other light at the end of the tunnel, where the World of the Living awaited them.

Hitsugaya was reminded of the time before the Winter War against Aizen Sousuke. He had been sent to the World of the Living at that time too, only that his team had been half the size of the one he was leading now.

 _Sure brings back memories..._ He thought. Then an image of a certain raven-haired girl flashed into his mind. A small smile graced his lips. It had been a long time since he last saw her. He had not visited once after so many years, even after the Thousand Year War against the Quincies. _Maybe I should surprise her..._

Hitsugaya frowned when he realised something: He didn't know the girl's name. He knew she was one of Kurosaki Ichigo's little sisters, but he had not managed to ask what her second name was, despite being with her twice.

 _I guess I'll ask her once I find her... Or more likely,_ she _finds_ me _..._ Hitsugaya smirked. The girl had an uncanny ability of finding out where he was. It was amusing really.

A square of light shone on his face, momentarily blinding him. Then he burst through it, and entered the World of the Living.

Though he had not expected to find the particular girl he had been thinking about right in front of him.

* * *

 _A/N Ooh! Cliffhanger! Well now, I wonder why Hitsugaya is so curious about this certain girl. The next chapter will be in this particular girl's point of view! I assume you all know who she is. Huehuehue... See you in the next chapter! So long! :) Review please!_

 _(This chapter is 3, 356 words, excluding this message. Somehow all my chapters are steadily growing longer... :O)_


	5. FT COH: 04

_A/N And we're back everyone! :) I want to thank_ _ **yashiro-san**_ _,_ _ **Ari 347** , **Nozomi Rizuki 1414,**_ _ **Michel Kenneth** and **Kaito1412** for reviewing this story up till now! :) I feel more motivated the more reviews I get! Anyway, in the previous chapter, we stopped at a cliffie! Who IS this mysterious girl that Hitsugaya bumped into, and when he just entered the real world? Let's find out! I will also be changing 'Squad' to 'Division' and 'Lieutenant' to 'Vice-Captain' since I keep getting mixed up with the two terms. Hope you all don't mind! Also, we will be looking in the POV of the girl! Happy reading!_

 **WARNING: Cursing further into the chapter. Please beware.**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all. But WHY KUBO SENPAI?! WHY MUST YOU MAKE THE ENEMIES SO OVER POWERED?!_**

* * *

Kurosaki Karin was _not_ having a very good day.

Firstly, she was having a soccer tournament the next day, but one of her team's attackers had fallen ill with a high fever, and will not be able to play in the match. That meant that her team was a man less.

Secondly, she had just gotten into a fight with some seniors of the college she was studying in, as she had mocked them while watching them play soccer. This gave her a few bruises to her arms and a particularly nasty scratch on her leg.

Last of all, the final thing that made her snap, was the fact that she was now facing a man she had not seen for at least 7 years, sometime before her brother, Kurosaki Ichigo, had lost his powers.

Hitsugaya Toushiro.

The white-haired Shinigami Captain had grown a lot, towering over her by at least a head. His hair was slightly longer than she remembered, styled differently with his fringe having grown longer too. But his eyes, that beautiful shade of teal, were the same.

Karin had been walking home from school when she suddenly sensed a strange reiatsu appear, though it had also been slightly familiar. It was nearby, so she went to investigate, and had the shock of her life when Hitsugaya had emerged from a Senkaimon which was open there.

Behind the white-haired captain, a rather large group of other Shinigami came pouring out, and the Senkaimon closed shut before disappearing.

Karin recognised Matsumoto, but other than her and Hitsugaya, no one else. She hadn't exactly been very sociable with the other Shinigami that had been with Hitsugaya before the Winter War, so she had no idea who they were.

There was a redheaded man whose hair looked like a pineapple, a cue ball head, some sort of male who looked way too feminine to even be one, a bobbed-haired girl with large eyes, a yellow-haired male with a haori just like Hitsugaya's, a timid-looking man with dark marine hair, a Shinigami wearing a sleeveless Shihakusho and three scars down his right eye, an emo and finally...

She spotted Kuchiki Rukia behind the red pineapple.

All Karin could do was gape at them, bewildered by the sudden assembly of several Shinigami in front of her. Hitsugaya was practically doing the same.

"Kuro... saki...?" Hitsugaya whispered, his teal eyes as large as saucers. That snapped Karin out of her daze. _Did he call me_ _KUROSAKI?!_

Before she even knew what she was doing, she clenched her fist and swung it at the ice captain, landing a hit on his jaw.

The Shinigami behind Hitsugaya gave a collective gasp when the captain fell to the ground with a grunt, clutching his bruised jaw in pain. His eyes flashed furiously at Karin, and it took all her will power not to flinch at the glare he gave her.

"What was that for Kurosaki? Is this how you greet someone you haven't seen for, what, 7 years?!" He snarled, getting to his feet. A trickle of blood ran down his chin from his mouth, and he wiped it away, scowling.

"That's exactly it Toushiro!" Karin retorted fiercely. _Great._ Another fight. Just what she needed. _Perfect._

Hitsugaya hissed, obviously getting pissed already. "And what about you, huh? The first thing you say when you see me is 'Kuro... saki...?'! I've got my own name damn it, and that's Karin! When people hear you say that, they might think you were referring to Ichi-nii, when you might be meaning me, or my crazy dad, or even Yuzu!" She continued on, her own temper rising dangerously.

The ice captain's lips seemed about to twist into a much more menacing scowl, when his features suddenly softened, eyes growing wide again. "Your name... Is Karin?" He repeated, blinking at her.

Karin froze at the sound of Hitsugaya pronouncing her name. It sounded like chocolate running out from his lips. The way he said it sounded so clean and pure; smooth to be more exact, that she felt her heart rate increase slightly. But then she shook the thoughts away and nodded, glowering up at the ice captain.

A look of wonder flashed across Hitsugaya's face. "Karin... Hm, nice name for someone like you," he said, and gave a sly smirk. Karin, who felt offended by the teasing remark, couldn't handle the urge and punched him again, only to have her fist blocked. "Easy there. I think I prefer not to have another bruise on me," Hitsugaya said, a small smile of amusement on his face.

Karin's own lips broke into a grin. She couldn't resist it. It was funny how Hitsugaya had managed to turn the tense meeting into a sort of joke. And she thought he wasn't one for jokes.

"It's good to see you again Toushiro," she greeted, standing back a bit so she could look at the ice captain's full body. He had gotten slightly broader, yet slimmer, with his Shihakusho hanging loosely off his shoulders. Hyourinmaru was still strapped to his back as usual, only the katana was now being tied up by a thin chain, instead of a green scarf. To Karin's shock, she found that he had grown a lot more handsome than the last time she saw him.

"You've grown," she commented plainly, tearing her gaze away from Hitsugaya's lower body and gazing back into his teal eyes. They glowed a bit at the compliment.

"So have you," he answered, giving a gentle smile which made Karin's heart do a little flutter.

"It's nice to see you again Karin! Surely, you should have noticed that the two of us are here as well right? Unless my attractive captain is blinding you," Matsumoto piped up, giggling as she dragged Rukia out to the front. Hitsugaya whipped his head to face his vice-captain, who was now standing beside him. The scowl returned to his features.

"I am not attractive, Matsumoto. Don't say that, it's very embarrassing," he snapped, a light tint of pink flushing his cheeks. Karin guffawed at his embarrassment.

"Oi, oi. Hitsugaya Taicho. Care to explain who this girl is? And how can she see us?" The yellow-haired Shinigami, who was apparently a captain like Hitsugaya by the looks of it, asked from behind the ice captain. He placed a hand on the white-haired boy's shoulder, and Hitsugaya turned to look at him.

"I'll explain everything once we reach Urahara's. To answer your question to who this girl is, she's an old friend of mine whom I met here before the War against Aizen. Her name is-"

"Kurosaki Karin," Karin interrupted, earning a glare from the ice captain. She smirked back in response.

"Oh! You're Ichigo's sister!" The redheaded pineapple exclaimed. Rukia gave him a swift smack on the arm.

"Of course she is you idiot! Didn't you hear what Hitsugaya Taicho called her? And look how she addressed him. She called him 'Toushiro', just like what Ichigo calls him!" The petite Shinigami snapped, indigo eyes glaring up at her companion. The pineapple just shrugged.

"Keep quiet. Anyway, we'd best get going now. You go home too Karin," Hitsugaya told the Kurosaki girl. Karin nodded, trying to control the blush that wanted to spread across her face. Again, Hitsugaya called her by her second name. It sounded right when he said it. _H_ _ow is he doing this to me?_

Karin had always found him reasonably attractive. When they first met, near the road junction, she had been entranced by the boy's glacial beauty. But now that he had grown older, his features had gotten manlier, losing that childish touch it had before. His appearance took her breath away, stunning her with its sharper, icy, yet gentle, look.

"Karin?" Hitsugaya's concerned voice broke into Karin's thoughts. She blinked, perking up.

"Yeah?" The ice captain frowned, his teal eyes gazing at something below her. The soccer girl glanced down, and saw the long scratch across her calf, still oozing blood slightly.

"You're hurt," he muttered, then sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His fierce turquoise gaze bore into her soul, causing her to feel uncomfortable. "Whatever happened, tell me later. For now, let's go to Urahara's. We're running late,"

Karin took a while to process what he said. "What? What do you mean 'we'?"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, but the smirk on his face hinted his amusement. "You're coming with us,"

Karin's eyes widened. "If this is because of my injuries, then hell no. Tessai-san is creepy," Hitsugaya opened his mouth to say something, but she cut in. "I said no! I can treat them once I'm home," Then to her astonishment, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, before lifting her up and carrying her bridal-style. A few gasps were heard from the other Shinigami.

"Hai hai. Now keep still. Not only do you need treatment, since it might get infected soon, but you're concerned in this matter too anyway," the ice captain muttered. Karin froze, his hands on her back and under her knees burning suddenly.

"P-put me down! I-I can walk on my own..." Karin spluttered, her face heating up as the blood rushed to her cheeks, rosy pink puffing up on her skin. Hitsugaya scoffed.

"As if. With a wound like that, I doubt you can even walk straight," he sighed, and began to move forwards.

"Ooooh, looks like Hitsugaya Taicho really has some charm," the yellow-haired captain cooed, a mischievous look on his face. Hitsugaya whipped his head back and sent a scowl towards him.

"Shut up Hirako," the ice captain snapped, but a blush was seen on his face when he turned away.

"OOOOH! TAICHO'S BLUSHING!" Matsumoto exclaimed, a broad grin on her pretty face. "Neh, neh, Taicho! Don't tell me you like-"

"SHUT UP!" Hitsugaya roared, his face unusually red from embarrassment. The temperature dropped a few degrees and all chatter ceased. "Good," he mumbled, huffing. A hint of a blush was still visible on his tanned skin, and Karin found it cute. Then she shook her head, wondering how that thought suddenly popped up.

"Let's hurry up and leave. We're wasting our time standing in the middle of nowhere," the ice captain grumbled, brows furrowed. Mumbles of 'yes sir' rippled across the small crowd of Shinigami. Then suddenly Karin felt a lurch.

The world spun, splitting up and stretching so abnormally, she thought she was about to throw up. Then everything became clear again and she found herself staring at the entrance of Urahara's Store. Karin also found that she had subconsciously clung to Hitsugaya's Shihakusho tightly, her fists pressed against his chest as if she did not want to let go.

Immediately, she released her hold on the black fabric, flushing a deeper shade of red. Hitsugaya looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, his lips turned up slightly in a half-smile. In response, Karin looked away, trying to control the rapid beating of her goddamn heart. _How_ _does he keep doing this...?_

She knew that Hitsugaya had used shunpo to reach the store, which probably explained the strange sensation of the world suddenly spinning around her. In quick succession, the other Shinigami appeared behind the captain, just as he was setting Karin down.

"There. Now you walk," Hitsugaya told her plainly, helping the soccer girl to stand. His fingers left her skin, and suddenly Karin craved for his touch again. _Damn it, stop thinking about those kinds of things! I'm nineteen for God's sake! I'm still too young for these kinds of things... Right?_

"Mm... T-thanks Toushiro," Karin muttered, then staggered her way towards the store's waiting door. It opened before she could even knock, and she found herself face-to-face with Kurosaki Ichigo, her brother.

"Karin?" The orange-haired man said, a confused look on his face. Karin opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped when she felt a gentle shove on her back.

"What are you waiting for Karin? Hurry up and get in. It's hot outside here," Hitsugaya said, and Karin blushed once more, before scurrying in, muttering a quick apology to the ice captain.

"Since when did you call my sister by her second name, Toushiro?" Ichigo asked suspiciously, glaring at the ice captain in front of him. Hitsugaya crossed his arms over his chest, glaring defiantly back at the young Substitute Shinigami.

"Since 15 minutes earlier. You got a problem with it, Kurosaki?" He retorted, before walking past Ichigo with a swish of his haori. A tick mark appeared on the orange-haired male forehead at the rudeness, and his fingers twitched.

"Yo Ichigo," the redheaded pineapple Shinigami greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Renji!" The Kurosaki male cried, stunned by the sudden appearance of his friend. Suddenly, all the other Shinigami poured into the small store, acknowledging Ichigo's presence and greeting him.

"Hirako? Rangiku-san? Hisagi-san? Kira-san? Hinamori-san?! Ikkaku?! Yumichika?!" Ichigo could only exclaim, a look of bewilderment on his face at the large procession of Shinigami. Then the blue-haired Shinigami, who had startling red eyes, bowed in front of the orange-haired adult awkwardly.

"H-hello Kurosaki Ichigo-san... I-I'm sure you don't know me but my name is Kazuko Rinei... Fourth-seat of the 10th Division, under Hitsugaya Taicho's command." He stammered, wringing his fingers together. Ichigo blinked

"Hah? Toushiro actually brought his fourth-seat along? Wow, that must mean he trusts you to get things done," he commented. A grin broke across his face. "Nice to meet you Kazuko-san. Just call me Ichigo," he greeted, sticking out his hand.

Kazuko shook it nervously, his hand trembling. "Y-yes Kurosaki-san... I mean, Ichigo..."

The fourth-seat scurried after the rest of his fellow Shinigami, and it was only then did Rukia make her entrance. "Hey Ichigo," she smirked, walking up to the Substitue. Ichigo's brown eyes widened considerably.

"R-Rukia?!" He stuttered, his jaws dropping in shocked amazement. He was responded with a foot in his mouth.

"Idiot! Don't just stand there gawking! Move along!" The petite Kuchiki snapped, yet her indigo eyes twinkled with amusement. Ichigo wiped his mouth, spitting a bit, before grinning, his eyes softening.

"Yeah sure. Oh, by the way..." Ichigo turned and faced Karin, who had been standing at a corner dazedly. "Why are you here Karin? Aren't you supposed to go home?"

A kick connected with his back and with a cry, he was sent sprawling to the ground of the store. "What was that for Rukia?!" He exclaimed, whipping his head to glower at the 13th Division Vice-Captain.

"You moron! Can't you see she's hurt? You're her brother, yet you still haven't noticed that?" Rukia chided, pointing a finger towards Karin's leg.

Ichigo stared towards the direction that Rukia was indicating, sitting up as he did so, and spotted the wound on Karin's calf. "Karin?! What happened?!" He gasped, eyes widening. Karin shifted uncomfortably, clutching her arm.

"W-well..."

"I bet that Toushiro had something to do with it!" Ichigo swore, leaping to his feet.

"He didn't do anything Ichi-nii! I just got into a-" Karin protested, her onyx eyes showing her disbelief at her idiotic brother's random accusation.

"Don't start with me Karin! I'm going to go Bankai on that little brat's ass!" Her brother roared, and before she could say anything else, he had stormed away. Karin watched as Ichigo descended the hidden ladder that led to an underground training area, where the other Shinigami had gathered. Urahara's living room was too small to hold all of them.

Karin sighed, shaking her head. Her brother was so moronic at times. He kept jumping to conclusions way too quickly, not hearing whatever reason that was given. Rukia gave her a sympathetic look and touched her shoulder, a silent comfort, before leading her towards the ladder.

They went down, and was met with a rather noisy ruckus which included an angry Ichigo in his Shinigami Shihakusho, waving Zangetsu around, and an even angrier Hitsugaya, Hyourinamru unsheathed.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME, KUROSAKI?!" Hitsugaya was bellowing, his teal eyes blazing with a furious flame.

"I CALLED YOU A HYPOCRITE AND LECHER, THAT'S WHAT! HOW DARE YOU HURT KARIN?! YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE OTHER THINGS TO HER TOO!" Ichigo thundered back.

"WHY IN THE BLOODY F*K ARE YOU ACCUSING ME FOR, YOU IGNORANT STRAWBERRY?! I DID NOTHING TO HER!" The ice captain flared, and the temperature decreased rapidly, plunging the barren training grounds in a frosty mist as the water vapour in the air froze over.

"Umm... You did carry her bridal-style though Shiro-chan..." Hinamori volunteered meekly. Two heads turned towards her at the same time.

"WHAT?!" The males screeched, and poor Hinamori, who was attacked by the full blast of two enraged glares, cowered, backing away a bit.

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING AT ALL HINAMORI!" Hitsugaya roared at his childhood friend, and with one final glare, swiftly resumed the heated argument between him and Mr Strawberry.

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU DID SOMETHING TO HER! HOW COULD YOU CARRY HER IN A POSITION LIKE THAT?!" Ichigo screamed, his tone slightly triumphant at having found out about Hitsugaya carrying Karin in a bridal position.

"SHE WAS HURT, YOU ASSHOLE! YOU THINK I'D JUST LET HER WALK WHILE SHE HAS INJURIES?!" Hitsugaya screamed back, his fists clenched tightly, while his sword arm was trembling, as if it was being restrained.

"YOU COULD'VE CARRIED HER SOME OTHER WAY!" Ichigo spat, glaring daggers at the captain in front of him.

"AND WHAT 'WAY' WOULD THAT BE?! DO ENLIGHTEN ME, YOU BRAINLESS MORON!" Hitsugaya shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. A short silence ensued as the strawberry pondered for a moment.

"Th-that... I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAY, OK?!" Ichigo blurted out, his shoulders hunched. Hitsugaya smirked victoriously.

"Hah! Cat got your tongue, Kurosaki?" The ice captain sneered, and Ichigo's face flushed crimson red.

"I-I'll think of something! Just you wait Toushiro!" The orange-haired man grumbled, a scowl on his face. Hitsugaya scowled back.

"I'd like to see you try," he taunted, and Ichigo became even more infuriated.

"THAT DOES IT! YOU'RE ONE HELL OF A COCKY BASTARD, TOUSHIRO! I'LL KILL-"

"ICHI-NII! TOUSHIRO! STOP IT!" Karin screamed from where she was standing, watching the drama which had unfolded before her get out of hand. Both men immediately shut up, glancing to the side as the soccer girl strode up towards them, limping slightly. The wound on her calf was aching.

With a swift movement, Karin elbowed Ichigo in the gut and stomped on Hitsugaya's foot, causing the both of them to drop their Zanpakutos and kneel on the ground in pain. The surrounding Shinigami watched in awe as the human girl berated the two males, one of them the one who had saved Soul Society countless of times, the other one of the Gotei 13's strongest captains, not to mention the coldest.

"I just got into a fight ok?! Ichi-nii, none of this would have happened if you had just listened to what I said!" Karin berated, putting her hands on her hips.

"Sorry..." Hitsugaya and Ichigo mumbled at the same time, then realised that they had spoken in synch and glared at each other.

"My my... What is all this ruckus that is going on about?" Came a lax voice, and Karin turned to see a man in a striped green cloak, a similarly striped hat fitted on his head. A cane was in his hand, and shadowed eyes peered out at the group of Shinigami who had somewhat intruded into his home without even telling him. Not that he cared.

Behind him was a burly man who was wearing an apron and had small, rectangular spectacles on, as well as a red-haired boy and a black-haired girl.

"Urahara Kisuke..." Hitsugaya greeted, standing up and sheathing his katana.

"Well well... This is a rather large group isn't it, Hitsugaya Taicho?" The said man replied. Then he smiled. "But it's nothing I can't handle,"

* * *

 _A/N This. Was. LONG. Even longer than the previous chapter! Dx Somehow I feel like the argument was very... Unlike Hitsugaya. I know he has a foul mouth sometimes... But I think that was a bit too much...? I hope you don't hate me for this! ~ Anyway, here we are, halting once more at a majestic cliffie... What will Urahara do to the team of Shinigami and their fellow human friends? Find out in the next chapter! :D Thanks for reading! Reviews please!_


	6. FT COH: 05

_A/N Hey guys! :3 We're back in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! In the last chapter, we stopped at the appearance of Urahara! Now what will happen to our team of Shinigami? Let's find out! Happy reading! :) And I am happy myself, since more people are supporting me... XD Thank you everyone!_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all. BUT... THE ANIME MUST CONTINUE! I want it to continue... I cry... ;-;**_

* * *

Some ten minutes later, the Shinigami were seated around a large foldable table which Urahara had brought down with him. Ururu, the black-haired girl, was busy pouring and distributing tea to all of them, including Ichigo and Karin, whose leg had already been bandaged up, with a few plasters on her face and arms.

Hitsugaya found himself wedged between his childhood friend and the soccer girl, with Matsumoto right beside Karin. He felt highly awkward with so many women around him, and shifted uncomfortably. Hirako, who was sitting beside his vice-captain, took note of his discomfort and smirked.

"How does it feel to have so many girls surrounding you, Hitsugaya Taicho?" He snickered, his signature grin on his face. Hitsugaya froze, a blush seeping up his neck when the heads of his fellow subordinates and a particularly pricky orange-head turned towards him.

"Toushiro..." Ichigo growled, his grip on his tea cup tightening visibly. Karin smiled at her Shinigami friend beside her, then shot a glare towards her brother, and he clammed shut, though his rage was still evident by his trembling shoulders. Hinamori giggled at Hitsugaya's embarrassment, while Matsumoto merely jumped on her captain, pressing her large bosom against the back of his head.

A soft sigh escaped the ice captain's lips, his white brow twitching in annoyance. "Matsumoto... Please get off..." he muttered quietly, crossing his arms over his chest. But his vice-captain adamantly pushed harder, giggling teasingly. Hitsugaya glanced over at his Shinigami subordinates, wondering how they were reacting to the absurd scene, and saw some rather interesting expressions.

First, there was Hirako. He had a particularly shocked expression on his face, his grin turned upside down. Then there was Hinamori, who looked ready to burst into peals of laughter. Ikkaku, Renji and Hisagi looked downright envious, while Kira, Yumichika and Kazuko were just looking away. Rukia was the only one who just smiled and didn't bother staring.

Hitsugaya, even though he had been attacked by Matsumoto's bosom countless of times, still found it highly annoying. He scowled at his vice-captain's stubbornness, and decided to elbow her in the gut.

"Ow!" The busty vice cried out, lurching backwards and successfully moving away from him. She clutched her stomach, and pouted at her captain. "That hurt Taicho! Why did you do that for?"

"You didn't want to get off me, so I took the pleasure in smacking you off instead," Hitsugaya replied dryly, scowling. Matsumoto let out a childish whine, but otherwise remained silent. The only problem left was that Hitsugaya was now entirely surrounded by girls: Karin on his left, Hinamori to his right, and Matsumoto now just behind him. It was suffocating, and he shifted again, grumbling inwardly about how women couldn't seem to leave him in peace for just one day.

"Alright, now let's get down to business! I suppose, Hitsugaya Taicho, that you and your team need your gigais?" Urahara chirpily said, a smile on his shadowed face. Hitsugaya nodded, and the man with the apron, Tessai, came forward, with the red-haired boy, Jinta, by his side.

"Hitsugaya-dono, your gigais have already been prepared upstairs. You may take them once you are done here," Tessai said, and his spectacles gave a glint.

"Thank you," Hitsugaya gave a nod of his head towards the assistant shopkeeper, and turned back to face his subordinates. "Well, we'll need a plan since we're here now. Considering that the enemy we're about to face is something that has never been seen before, all of you-"

"Wait," Karin interrupted, and to the Shinigamis' surprise, Hitsugaya didn't seem to mind. He glanced towards his friend, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Karin took that as a signal that she could continue. "You never told me why you guys are even here. What enemy are you talking about?"

"Recently, there has been some strange reiatsu activity going on around here in the real world, so we were sent down by the Sou-Taicho to investigate. Or, at least, Hirako and I were. Everyone else you see here were either chosen by the both of us or decided to tag along," Hitsugaya explained. Hirako nodded in agreement.

"So the reiatsus you were talking about... Do you mean those creepy, zombie-like creatures that I've been seeing around town lately?" Karin asked, blinking. The reaction was immediate. Both Hitsugaya and Ichigo slammed their hands on the table, crying out 'What?!' at exactly the same time once more, while all the other Shinigami were gaping at the human girl.

Giving the ice captain a glare for the synchronized action again, Ichigo turned to his little sister, who was sitting beside him. "You _saw_ the enemy before? Why didn't you tell me?!" He exclaimed, his fists clenched.

"I hope you didn't engage battle with these... 'zombies'..." Hitsugaya muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Karin smiled, albeit a little hesitantly.

"Actually, I have."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Again, the ice captain and strawberry screeched in alarm, and again, both glowered at each other. Snickers were let out by a few Shinigami, the loudest from Renji. "You have a problem, Abarai?" Hitsugaya scowled, his teal eyes flashing dangerously at the vice-captain. Renji froze and shook his head, hunching forwards in fear.

"Why did you fight with those monsters Karin?" Ichigo hissed, a strain in his tone. Karin shrugged, looking slightly guilty.

"Well, that happened a few days ago. I was walking home from soccer practice when I heard a scream and saw a soul getting chased around by this hideous beast. It had really sharp claws with a black liquid dripping from them. Actually, it's entire body was black, and I could only see its eyes and a wide mouth which had razor sharp teeth inside. I couldn't let the soul get eaten, so I kicked my soccer ball at it, infused with my reiatsu, and it ran away." The girl said, tilting her head towards the ceiling thoughtfully.

An uneasy sensation crept up Hitsugaya's skin at the description, and he could feel an urgent gnaw at his heart. Something didn't feel right. "What colour were the... eyes?" He asked softly. A memory tickled at the back of his mind, and he resisted the urge to clutch his head. Karin looked at him, confused.

"Uhm... Yellow. Like, this sickly kind of yellow... Poison yellow I guess," she replied. "Why'd you-"

It was then Hitsugaya lurched forward, a cry of pain escaping from his lips. His hand flew to his chest, where his heart now felt like it was being crushed slowly, and his head spun dizzily. His tea cup tipped over, spilling its contents all over the table, some of the liquid dripping down onto his Shihakusho.

"Toushiro!"

"Shiro-chan!"

"Taicho!"

Three women exclaimed at once. Hitsugaya soon found himself in the centre of attention as Hinamori and Matsumoto fussed over him, while Karin merely gushed out apologies, in case what she said had triggered the pain and whatsoever. The ice captain, determined not to show any signs of weakness, waved them off, leaning against the table and trying to regain his composure, chest still clutched. He groaned softly, squeezing his eyes shut as a blinding headache split through his mind, causing him to shudder.

"Oi, oi. Hitsugaya Taicho, are you alright?" Hirako asked, concern in his voice. Hitsugaya gave a small nod, grimacing as a thudding ache settled in his heart, the grip on it loosening at the very least, which allowed him to relax a bit more.

"What happened, Hitsugaya Taicho?" Kira asked worriedly, gazing at the prodigy. Hitsugaya shook his head, his throat unusually dry. What _had_ happened? He had no clue. Just by hearing the sound of 'poison yellow', the pain emerged, and he had felt like he was drowning in water.

"You're not having a heart attack, are you Toushiro?" Ichigo said suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. Hitsugaya managed a scoff, before he launched into a coughing fit, his body trembling. Karin smacked his back, causing Hitsugaya to cough even more, but it quickly subsided as he took in deep breaths.

"Dear me... Hitsugaya Taicho, are you sure you're alright?" Urahara asked, gesturing for Ururu to clean up the spilled tea. Hitsugaya nodded again, a scowl settling upon his features.

"I'm f-fine..." he rasped, wincing at the dryness of his mouth. He needed to drink something refreshing. Ururu cleaned up the mess in front of him, before giving him a new tea cup, this time filled with water. He grabbed it and chugged it down, relishing the coolness of the liquid sliding down his throat. Instantly, he felt better.

"What happened Shiro-chan?" Hinamori whispered, concerned, as she put an arm around his shoulder. Hitsugaya felt Karin freeze beside him, and heard a soft growl rumbling in her throat. He felt confused, and instead of replying to his childhood friend's question, he turned to her.

"Is there a problem Karin?"

Karin flinched, and quickly shook her head, giving him a strained smile. "Nothing's wrong Toushiro," she answered. Hitsugaya then felt Hinamori's grip on his shoulder tighten considerably, and winced. Honestly, he had no idea what was wrong with the two girls.

"Back to our problem at hand... Hitsugaya Taicho, I advise you take a break for the rest of the day. Who knows, that little... 'attack' could have been a bad omen," Urahara advised.

"That's right," came a new voice, and all the Shinigami, including Ichigo and Karin, turned to find a new figure standing on a rock nearby, clothed in bright orange. Shihoin Yoruichi, former 2nd Division Captain and Flash Goddess, grinned. "Hey,"

"Yoruichi-san!" Ichigo exclaimed, watching as the lithe woman jumped down from the rock and headed towards them.

"Like what Karin here had described, these unknown beasts act and behave like Hollows, only their strength is on a whole new level, close to an Arrancars'," the cat-lady said, sitting down next to Urahara.

"Oh? So you've seen them too?" The shopkeeper asked, faintly surprised. Yoruichi nodded.

"I was out buying milk a couple of hours ago, when suddenly I found a Plus Soul being attacked by several of those beasts," she reported, and suddenly Hitsugaya felt that same painful clench in his chest not long ago. He grimaced, his hand twitching.

"They were hunting the soul in groups of three. Apparently their intellect is that much higher of ordinary Hollow, not just their strength. They nearly got to the soul and would've had him if I hadn't stepped in," Yoruichi went on. The grip on Hitsugaya's heart tightened, and almost unwillingly, clutched his chest, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Toushiro?" Karin murmured, her eyes widening in alarm when she saw the ice captain bite down on his lip, nearly drawing blood.

"These monsters were-"

"Stop! Yoruichi-san, don't talk about the monsters anymore!" Karin cut in, glancing urgently at the rapidly paling Hitsugaya, who now had his hand clutched on his chest so tight, his Shihakusho ripped slightly. Yoruichi abruptly stopped, narrowing an eyebrow at the young captain who was struggling to fight against the agony in his chest.

"It seems that speaking about these new creatures have some very serious side effects on Hitsugaya Taicho... But why only him? Do the rest of you feel pain anywhere?" Urahara asked, glancing around the group of Shinigami. They all shook their heads, gazing worriedly at the ice captain, who was now trying to control his breathing.

"J-just... Go... On... I'll... Move away... For now..." Hitsugaya gasped out, groaning. He staggered to his feet, only to have his knees buckle. He was about to fall when a pair of strong arms caught him, and he wearily glanced up to see Ichigo holding on to his arm. The Substitue Shinigami's brown eyes held a mix of feelings. Hitsugaya could see anxiety, fear, and the most confusing of all, suspicion, but that emotion quickly disappeared from the orange-haired man's eyes when he pulled the ice captain back up.

"You shouldn't strain yourself," Ichigo simply said. Then muttered under his breath, "Cocky midget," A tick mark appeared on Hitsugaya's temple, and he scowled at the Substitute, his eyes twitching.

" _What_ did you just call me Kurosaki?" He growled, and Ichigo gave a careless shrug, before tugging at his arm and dragging him away, towards a secluded corner of the training grounds. Hitsugaya could still see the meeting, but was out of earshot, so he couldn't hear a thing. It frustrated the prodigy a bit, but at the very least he would still be able to keep an eye on his subordinates.

* * *

"Ok, so where were we?" Ikkaku said once Ichigo came back.

"Yoruichi-dono was talking about these creatures' battle prowess," Kazuko replied nervously. Yoruichi gave a nod of her head towards the 10th Division fourth-seat.

"I think we should refer to these beasts as something much more simpler, like a term we can all understand," Hisagi suggested before the cat-woman could speak.

"Like a name we can use, instead of calling them 'monsters', 'beasts' or 'creatures'," Kira added.

"Why should we give something that sounds ridiculously hideous a name?" Yumichika asked vainly. Ikkaku smacked the pretty boy's head upside down.

"It's to make things easier you idiot," the cue ball smirked.

"So a name for these zombie things, huh...?" Ichigo muttered, and his mind wandered off to think of a suitable term to call the beasts. Everyone began to think.

"What about Yellow Eyes?" Matsumoto stupidly suggested, a smile on her face.

"Too long," Urahara replied simply.

"Then Zombies?" Hinamori tried.

"People might think differently,"

"Razors?" Renji said.

"What kind of a name is that?" Rukia berated him, smacking his arm.

"Arrancar-Hollows?" Ikkaku gave.

"Sounds like a mix breed, when we don't even know whether it's a mixed breed or not," Urahara said logically.

"Uglies!" Yumichika exclaimed.

"Is beauty and fashion the only thing you can think about, Ayasegawa-san?" Kira mumbled.

"Uhm, what about-" Kazuko said.

"I got it!" Ichigo cut in. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What is it, Ichigo?" Hirako questioned.

"We should call them... Toushiro's Bad Omen!"

* * *

From where Hitsugaya sat, staring into space, a sudden chill went up his spine and he sneezed. _What the...?_ He narrowed his eyes and glanced back, peering from the rock he was leaning against. The meeting seemed to be going good, though everyone was staring at Ichigo as though he had said something horrible. He had a feeling that the Kurosaki male was talking about him. And it didn't feel like a positive comment.

* * *

"That's a bit too... Centred around Toushiro, Ichi-nii..." Karin said, giggling.

"Yeah! It's rude to say that! It almost sounds like an insult!" Matsumoto pouted at the orange-haired adult. Ichigo shurgged.

"Yeah I know, but he seems to be the most sensitive when we talk about these monsters. I mean, just look at him! It's like as if he got a heart attack when we talked about this topic in front of him," Ichigo retorted.

"Shiro-chan is not weak, if that's what you're trying to say. He's one of the strongest people I know. I'm sure there must be a reason as to why he's experiencing pain just by listening to this topic," Hinamori snapped back, coming to her friend's defense. A scowl settled upon the Substitute's face, but he remained in an angry silence.

"Well, to continue on, how does Black Chappy sound?" Rukia suggested. A few amused smiles were raised.

"That certainly sounds good enough, but it is too long. Are there any other suggestions?" Urahara asked. Hirako gave a shrug.

"Making up names was never a strong point of mine," he replied lamely.

"Uhm... If I could-" Kazuko began again.

"Oh! What about Hooligans?" Hisagi interrupted excitedly.

"That sounds rather drab. And people might mistake it for those real hooligans out there," Renji scoffed.

"Then Emos?" Kira mumbled out.

"Says the emo himself," Ichigo snorted. Kira sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Please, could I-" Kazuko pleaded, only to be cut off again.

"Ooh, I got one! Maybe Soccer Freaks!" Karin grinned.

"That sounds more like a club name or team name," Hinamori sniffed distastefully. Karin glowered at her, but said nothing to counter back.

"Tuna Stealers!" Yoruichi declared. Everyone stared at her like as if she had gone mad(which was most probably the case). "What? Is it wrong to express my love for tuna?" The cat-lady growled. No one answered, and she huffed.

"Could I please, please, _please_ speak now?" Kazuko squeaked, his face tinted red. Everyone turned to face him. He gulped and took in a deep breath. "I-I was thinking we should call them Unknowns... We don't really know much about them after all... We don't know where they came from, what kind of beings they are, and even though Yoruichi-dono has fought against them before- as well as Karin-san- their powers are still relatively... unknown to us..." he concluded, face turning different shades of red.

Silence fell over the group for a moment. "Now why did we not think of that before...?" Ichigo finally muttered.

"Well, since no one is complaining, 'Unknowns' it is then!" Urahara declared. Hisagi and Kira, who were the ones sitting closest to Kazuko, gave him friendly smiles, and the 9th Division Vice-Captain gave him a pat on the back.

"Well done! I'm sure Hitsugaya Taicho would be happy to hear you came up with the name for these new monsters we're about to face," he complimented, and Kazuko blushed.

"I-it was nothing really..." he mumbled, looking away shyly.

"Now, on to the next topic: what we're all going to do about the Unknowns," Urahara went on. "We should make this quick, since we don't want to keep Hitsugaya Taicho waiting at that miserable corner over there," he added, indicating to the secluded spot a pretty far distance away from them, where Hitsugaya's hair, shoulder, and leg could be seen behind a rock.

"I say, we first discuss where we'll all stay. It'll be too troublesome to just wander around and ask strangers to house us," Ikkaku put in. "Yumichika and I will go to Asano Keigo's house, like we always do when we come to the real world," he said after a moment to let his words sink in.

"Well then! Hinamori and I could stay at Orihime's! I don't know whether Taicho would want to tag along though, since he normally sleeps on the roof," Matsumoto said as well, slinging her arm across Hinamori's shoulder.

"Eeehhh?! Shiro-chan sleeps on the roof?! But he'll catch a cold!" The 5th Division Vice-Captain exclaimed, horror on her face. Matsumoto shrugged.

"I know that! But somehow he never does!" She mused.

"Toushiro could stay with Ichi-nii and I at our house," Karin offered. Ichigo ogled at his sister.

"WHAT?!" He cried out in alarm. Rukia spanked his head.

"Be quiet you fool! There's no need for you to scream all the time! And what's the problem with Hitsugaya Taicho staying with you and your family?" She chided. Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, tentatively touching the spot where Rukia had whacked him.

"It's not like I don't want him to stay in our house... There are things I'm worried about..." he answered, glancing at his sister swiftly. Karin caught his gaze and snorted.

"What, you think he'll do something to me? I wouldn't even let that happen. And he knows better than to make me angry, Ichi-nii," she said. Ichigo didn't look convinced, but nodded anyways.

"Yeah ok... I guess he can stay with us..."

"Of course, I am coming with you too Ichigo! Your closet is still my room!" Rukia pouted, glaring up at the orange-haired male in front of her. Ichigo gave a light chuckle.

"Yeah I know..." he sighed.

"Uh... Uhm... Kuro- I mean... Ichigo... Could I... Stay with you too?" Kazuko suddenly asked timidly. Ichigo blinked at the blue-haired fourth-seat.

"Why?" He asked. Kazuko lowered his head, his face entirely red.

"I-I'd like to... Stay with... Hitsugaya Taicho..." he mumbled, and a blush crept onto the already red face of the fourth-seat, darkening the flush.

"Oooh! So you're one of his admirers? Well, guess I can't say no to that then..." Ichigo laughed, grinning. Kazuko squeaked, eyes widening in surprise.

"N-no! That's not it! I-I just feel like... I should... I just feel like it's my duty to protect Hitsugaya Taicho in times of danger!" The fourth-seat spluttered. Ichigo guffawed.

"Toushiro can take care of himself perfectly well. You, as his fourth-seat, should know that," he said. Kazuko nodded.

"But now we're up against a new enemy... And... Seeing how he reacted when we were talking about the Unknowns... I just can't help but get a feeling that things will become worse than they already are..." he said firmly, the blush disappearing slowly. Ichigo smiled at the fourth-seat's spirit.

"I guess you're right. Maybe another one more person wouldn't hurt..."

"Hisagi, Kira and I are going to stay here at Urahara's Shop. It's much more convenient anyway," Renji said.

"Then I guess I'll go visit the gang. It's been a while after all," Hirako said lazily.

"That makes all eleven of you then!" Urahara said gaily.

"Should we pretend like we're students? We could go to the college that Karin is studying in," Matsumoto suddenly suggested.

"Honestly, I don't think that's necessary, since most of you look like adults... But maybe Toushiro and Hinamori-san will have to go. And Rukia too," Ichigo said.

"HAAAAH?!" Karin cried out, alarm on her face. Even Rukia and Hinamori were gaping at him in shock. "But, Ichi-nii..."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine! And anyway, Toushiro, Hinamori-san and Rukia will be able to protect you and Yuzu if those monsters come," Ichigo said, waving off her words. Karin opened her mouth to protest, but then thought the better of it and sighed.

"Alright..."

* * *

 _A/N And we're done! Oh dear, what had happened to our dear Hitsugaya? Will he be alright? And why do these newly named Unknowns sound so familiar? Also, what will happen once the ice captain finds out he will be staying at the Kurosaki Residence, as well as attending SCHOOL?! Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Stay tuned! Reviews please! :)_

 _(P.S This was almost 4000 words... I'm amazed at myself... :O)_


	7. FT COH: 06

_A/N Hey everyone! We're back at Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Last time, the Shinigami and their human friends were talking about the 'Unknowns', the name given to these strange demonic, zombie-like creatures that they were supposed to hunt down. And it also seems that something is wrong with Hitsugaya! What could be the problem? What would he think if he was told that he would be staying with the Kurosaki family? And just how would he react when he finds out that he was meant to go to SCHOOL?! All answers will be revealed soon enough! And there will be reference to episode 132 of the anime! Happy reading! :)_

 _Thanks to:_

 ** _yashiro-san_**

 ** _Ari 347_**

 ** _Michel Kenneth_**

 ** _Nozomi Rizuki 1414_**

 ** _Kaito1412_**

 ** _Yuki-chaan_**

 ** _Syl The tWins_**

 _ **RandomReader** and_

 ** _Guest_** _for reviewing this story! :) Your support is most appreciated! As well as all those silent readers out there! :) Thanks!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Although Bleach is love. And life. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

It took a while before everyone was finished discussing on how to hunt down the Unknowns. Yoruichi had explained that they could blast Balas like Arrancars could when she fought with them to defend a soul, and somehow could use Sonido. This led to the assumption of the Unknowns being somewhat like an Arrancar, as stated before.

Then there was another startling fact when Karin pointed out she had seen them huddling in groups before, lurking around the alleys, and surprisingly with katanas in hand. The katanas had seemed identical to that of a zanpakuto. When asked when she saw the scene, the soccer girl replied by saying at least a week ago.

Another assumption was made, this time assuming that the Unknowns were more like Vizards. Then Hirako, who had felt offended by being put together in the same category as the Unknowns, snapped, telling everyone that the katanas might have been stolen from other Shinigami. The 'Vizard' possibility still stood, though Urahara had to assure a fuming 5th Division Captain that they were not classifying the Unknowns as real Vizard. They were weaker than the Hollow-Shinigami race, and much hideous too.

This made Hirako feel a bit smug.

Eventually they decided they would stay around doing their own things while keeping a sharp lookout for the Unknowns. They had no idea how to track their reiatsu after all, as, according to Yoruichi, their spiritual presence kept disappearing, blinking in and out from existence.

"Finally, it's settled." Ichigo muttered, yawning tiredly. "How long were we here anyway?"

"At least three hours," Urahara replied, smiling cheekily. "It's already evening,"

"T-three hours?!" The Substitute exclaimed in astonishment. The shopkeeper nodded.

"Oh yes, someone, do call Hitsugaya Taicho back here. We'll just fill him in on the important points," Urahara said. Both Karin and Hinamori stood up, exchanged a small glare and went to where Hitsugaya was. Matsumoto stared after them for a moment, then jumped up and followed.

* * *

Karin reached Hitsugaya first, and was surprised to see the ice captain lazily dozing off, his head rolled to the side, eyes closed, and an arm resting over his stomach. She crouched down beside him and was about to shake him awake when Hinamori bounced over.

"Shiro-chan! Hey, Shiro-chan, wake up!" The 5th Division Vice-Captain called, bending over the sleeping prodigy. There was no response, only the steady soft breathing of Hitsugaya. Hinamori pouted. "Shi. Ro. Chan!" She huffed, clenching her fists. Karin suppressed a snort of amusement and grabbed Hitsugaya's shoulder, shaking him.

"Oi, Toushiro. Rise and shine, sleepy-head," she teased, and was satisfied when she saw Hitsugaya's eyes twitch. They slowly flickered open, dazed teal eyes being revealed.

"Hmm...? Karin?" The ice captain mumbled, tilting his head towards the soccer girl. Karin flashed him a grin.

"Good _morning_ , _Hitsugaya Taicho_. How was your _little nap_?" She teased again, and laughed when Hitsugaya scowled, a tick mark appearing on his forehead.

"Was that meant to be sarcastic, Karin? Because it sounded like it was," he snapped, slowly getting to his feet. Karin playfully punched his arm.

"Of course it was sarcastic! But that was meant to be a joke," she laughed. Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and Karin heard a mumble which sounded like, "I cannot get jokes sometimes..." This made her grin broader and she was about to take his hand and pull him back to the table when Hinamori stepped forward.

"Shiro-chan!" She whined, giving the ice captain a puppy face. Hitsugaya blinked at his childhood friend.

"Ah. Hinamori. What're you doing here? I don't think it was necessary to have two people come and wake me up," Hitsugaya said.

"I'm here too Taicho!" Matsumoto called from where she was sitting on top of the rock Hitsugaya had slept against. Hitsugaya glanced up, only to see his vice-captain dropping down on him.

"What the-?!"

"Gotcha Taicho!" Matsumoto exclaimed gleefully, and the two fell to the ground, with Hitsugaya once again being suffocated in his hyper vice-captain's large breasts.

"Rangiku... san... You're going to kill him," Karin nervously pointed out, her sweat dropping at the disturbing scene in front of her, where Hitsugaya was struggling in his vice-captain's grip. Matsumoto blinked and snickered, before letting go of her captain.

Hitsugaya slumped on the ground, his face burning red, and he gulped in as much air as he could. "Matsu... moto... You trying to... Make me kill you...?" He gasped out, shakily sitting up with his trademark scowl on his face. The busty vice-captain giggled.

"Of course not Taicho! Why would I ever want to kill you with my-"

"Keep quiet," Hitsugaya cut in, his tone snappish. Matsumoto only giggled again. The ice captain stood up, dusting his Shihaksho and adjusting his haori, then turned to look at Hinamori and Karin. "So? Are we gonna go or what?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the two girls.

"Ok Shiro-chan! Let's-" before Hinamori could complete her sentence, Karin grabbed Hitsugaya's hand and pulled him forward as she ran back to the meeting table, laughing at the stunned look on the ice captain's face.

"Less talk, more action!" She called back at the raging 5th Division Vice-Captain, while Matsumoto only laughed and followed after Karin. Hinamori seethed quietly as she finally chased after them.

* * *

"Took you long enough," Ichigo commented once Karin and Hitsugaya reached the table. He narrowed his eyes at their interlocked hands, and noticing his glare, Hitsugaya yanked his hand away from Karin's, clearing his throat awkwardly and trying to push down the blush that was creeping up his neck. Footsteps sounded behind him, and he glanced back to see Matsumoto arriving, Hinamori not far behind her.

"So? What have you all decided while I was sitting there, bored out of my mind and taking a nap?" Hitsugaya asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Ichigo snorted.

"Nap. Yeah right... Since when did you take naps anyway...?" The Substitute grumbled under his breath, but Hitsugaya caught it and delivered a swift kick to the orange-haired male's back. "OW!" Ichigo cried out, jolting upwards. Laughter came from the Shinigami as Ichigo could only glare at the ice captain, who returned it back, and huffed.

"We have decided to call... _them_ \- you should know what I'm talking about Hitsugaya Taicho- Unknowns. Your fourth-seat here came up with the name," Urahara told the prodigy. Hitsugaya blinked, realising that the monsters which had sounded hauntingly familiar had been named. He glanced at his fidgety fourth-seat and gave him a small smile of praise.

 _I knew I could count on him to get work done..._

"We have also discussed about where your team will all stay. It has been decided that you stay with the Kurosaki family. Kazuko-san will be accompanying you," the shopkeeper went on. Hitsugaya stared at the former captain, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.

"What... Did you just say...?" He managed to force out, his eye twitching. The temperature dropped a few noticeable degrees, and Urahara gave a nervous laugh.

"You'll be staying with us Toushiro. Isn't that at least better than sleeping on the roof or staying with a bunch of girls who could probably leave you mentally scarred for life?" Karin sniggered. Hitsugaya cocked his head at her, the temperature dropping a bit more.

"Mentally what...?" He hissed. "Sleeping on the roof was perfectly fine for me, ok?"

"But you might get a cold, Shiro-chan! Please, just stay with Ichigo-san and his family for this one time!" Hinamori begged. Hitsugaya scowled, but relented.

"Fine..."

"Oh yeah! Taicho, you'll have to go to school!" Matsumoto said chirpily.

"WHAT?!" Hitsugaya cried out, his jaws dropping in bewilderment.

"Don't worry, Hinamori and Rukia will follow you along. The school is Karin's school. It's a college! This way, you can protect her if anything ever happens!" The vice-captain went on merrily. A sudden decrease in temperature told everyone that the ice captain was not happy about the decision of sending him to school.

"Matsumoto...!" Hitsugaya snarled, a murderous aura surrounding him. Matsumoto flinched and gave a nervous smile.

"Ah! I-I just realised that I have s-something coming up soon! Yeah! Uhm... I'll see you later Taicho!" She said, obviously lying, and shunpoed away. Hitsugaya snapped.

"GET YOUR LAZY ASS BACK HERE, MATSUMOTOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"I can't _believe_ her!" Hitsugaya complained furiously as he stormed out of Urahara's Shop, in his gigai and dressed in a loose, grey collared shirt with a white jacket, black slim jeans and sneakers. A belt was tied loosely around his hip. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, grumbling inwardly.

"Toushiro, just relax. My school's not that bad..." Karin tried to reassure the raging ice captain. Hitsugaya took in a few deep breaths, calming down slowly.

"I suppose you're right... Though I don't understand why I still have to go..." Hitsugaya growled.

"Maybe it's cause you look like an eighteen year old," Ichigo remarked. Hitsugaya scowled at him, but didn't say anything. It was true he looked like he was eighteen, so he couldn't really argue against that.

"Uhm... Can we go now...?" Kazuko asked, in his gigai as well. He was dressed in a plain baby blue checkered shirt with buttons and matching royal blue trousers.

"Yeah! The rest of your family would be worried if you haven't came back for dinner! They'd definitely want to spend _as_ much time with you as possible before you go back to Soul Society, after all," Rukia said, also in her gigai, where she was wearing a yellow summer dress and slip-on shoes.

"Yeah..." Ichigo sighed, a crestfallen look on his face. During the War, he had gotten excessive training, which eventually raised his reiatsu to a considerable amount- so much that if he ever went back home to the real world, he could end up destroying it. Mayuri had only managed to create a gigai which could suppress his enormous reiatsu to the level of a third-seat, but it would only last for a week maximum before having to be repaired, and that would take at least two months to finish.

The small group said their goodbyes to the other Shinigami, with Ikkaku and Yumichika heading towards Asano Keigo's house, and Hinamori, Renji, Kira and Hisagi staying at the shop. Hinamori had no idea where Inoue Orihime's house was after all, and could only wait till Matsumoto came back from wherever she was. Hirako had gone off to search for his fellow Vizards.

As the two Kurosakis, Hitsugaya, Rukia and Kazuko walked, the ice captain couldn't help but notice several women staring at him. He scowled, adjusting his jacket, and quickened his pace. _Seems like it's the same here..._

 ** _"Of course it would be, Master,"_** a deep, serpentine voice sounded in his head suddenly. Hitsugaya smiled inwardly.

 _Hyourinmaru?_

 ** _"Yes Master?"_** the ice dragon hummed quietly. An icy calm settled in Hitsugaya's chest, and he relished in it happily.

 _You haven't talked for a long time now..._

 ** _"I apologise, Master... There were a few... matters I had to deal with,"_**

 _What would that be, Hyourinmaru?_

 ** _"It is nothing you need to worry about Master. Focus on the task ahead. Or more likely, what's ahead,"_**

 _What do you-?_ Then Hitsugaya felt his foot connect with something hard, and he tripped, slamming right into Karin's back.

"What the-?!" Both the Kurosaki girl and ice captain cried out, crashing to the ground. Hitsugaya found himself on top of Karin, his hands on the floor next to her head, trapping her below him. His breath hitched in his throat, his heart suddenly thumping loudly.

"Hitsugaya Taicho?!" Kazuko and Rukia exclaimed, gasping.

"TOUSHIRO!" Ichigo snarled, reminding Hitsugaya of the awkward position he was in. He quickly scrambled away, blushing profusely. Head turned and not looking at the soccer girl, he stood up.

"Sorry..." he mumbled, eyes sliding towards Karin. Instead of mad, which he thought she would be, Karin was flushing too, a nervous smile on her face.

"I-it's fine..." she said quickly. Hitsugaya blinked, then remembering his manners, offered his hand to her. She took it gratefully and stood up. A feeling of dèja vú washed over the ice captain, and he remembered that he had offered his hand to her before, when they had first met and became friends. He smiled, and to his surprise, Karin blushed a deeper shade of red.

Ichigo was glancing between them suspiciously. "You never really did tell me how you guys met... And I'm sure the others had asked too..." he said, narrowing his eyes. Hitsugaya scoffed.

"We'll explain it now then," he snapped. Karin nodded. The group of five continued to walk, three of them listening intently, while the other two talked.

* * *

 _It was during the time when Ichigo had been with the Vizards, several years ago. Karin was walking towards the soccer field nearby and had accidentally kicked her ball too hard causing it to fly out of its netting, rolling towards the road junction. That was where she met Hitsugaya, who had picked up her ball before it rolled onto the road._

* * *

"You shouldn't have done that," Ichigo chided.

"It wasn't my fault... You wouldn't tell me anything!" Karin argued.

"Stop fighting! What next?" Rukia asked, sounding like an over-excited girl who was being read her favourite bedtime story. The ice captain picked up from where Karin left off.

* * *

 _Hitsugaya had passed the ball back to her and left. Then later that day, the two had bumped into each other again. He had been sitting near a cliffside, leaning against the railings and checking on his soul phone, when he suddenly heard footsteps and looked up to see Karin standing next to him. Her soccer friends were not far behind her. Then she had suddenly asked if he was the one who picked up her ball, and he replied yes. A 'thanks' came out from her mouth, and he just shrugged. Then a short silence had fallen between them, before Karin asked some questions, including what school he came from._

* * *

Ichigo laughed suddenly. "Who wouldn't ask that question?" He snickered. "I mean, you looked like an elementary student that time!"

Hitsugaya scowled. "And you weren't as rude as you are now, moron," he fired back. Ichigo smirked.

"Next please!" Rukia only pleaded.

Karin continued the tale by saying that Hitsugaya had told her that he had graduated early

"That technically is true, actually. In the Academy of Spiritual Arts, I graduated in less than a year," Hitsugaya said smugly. Karin punched his arm, laughing.

"I figured out that much already, Toushiro. There's no need to boast!"

"I wasn't boasting..." Hitsugaya grumbled, causing Karin to giggle. "Anyway..."

* * *

 _Karin had also asked whether he played soccer. He just shrugged, but she continued to tell him that her team was playing a match some days later. That was when her friends had pulled her aside and started whispering urgently to her. Hitsugaya had managed to catch their entire conversation, and got pissed when he heard one of the boys assume he bleached his hair, while another called him a midget and that he probably wouldn't know how to play soccer._

* * *

Ichigo guffawed, clutching his sides. "M-midget! They called you a midget! Oh god, that has got to burn!" He laughed hysterically. Hitsugaya aimed a lofty kick to his ass, kicking like the soccer pro he was.

"Shut. Up," He snarled, smirking when Ichigo doubled back in pain, clutching his butt.

"H-Hitsugaya Taicho is not a midget!" Kazuko spluttered, his cheeks red from the embarrassment of saying those words. Hitsugaya glanced at him, flashing a pleased smile. Karin giggled.

* * *

 _Hitsugaya had wanted to leave the area, but was stopped when Karin kicked her ball at him, aiming for his head. Then a miraculous thing happened. Hitsugaya had jumped, and halfway through a backflip, he stopped the ball with his foot, before shooting it back with a burst of power and landing on the ground gracefully. The ball had whizzed past Karin's head and smacked into one of her friend's face._

* * *

"I find that absolutely difficult to believe," Ichigo drawled, scoffing. Hitsugaya kicked him again, except this time right in the groin area.

"Want me to prove it to you?" The ice captain threatened. Ichigo, who was now groveling at the prodigy's feet, shook his head, his hands between his legs in pain.

"S-sorry..." the Substitue squeaked out. Hitsugaya let out a _tsk_ , then continued the story.

* * *

 _Karin's friends had swarmed around him after he was dusting his pants, causing him to feel slightly nervous and confused. They had asked several questions, including what his name was, and Hitsugaya had replied by saying his name was 'Hitsugaya Toushiro'. The boys had proceeded to compliment on the coolness of his name, when suddenly his soul phone had gone off and he realised a Hollow had appeared. Apparently Karin was able to sense that one of the monsters was nearby as well, as she had a particularly serious face while looking at the direction where the Hollow was._

* * *

"Well, that's Karin for ya..." Ichigo said, gazing proudly at his sister. Karin grinned.

"Yeah I know that..." Hitsugaya muttered, blushing slightly.

"So, what happened next?" The Substitute asked. Apparently he was now getting a bit more curious.

* * *

 _As Hitsugaya had been the only one who was close to the Hollow, he took off, but not before the soccer group called for him, inviting him to join their training sessions. However, he did no such thing. And eventually, a few days later, Karin found him again, sitting near the cliffside, watching the sun set into the horizon. She had asked why he hadn't showed up for training. Hitsugaya replied by saying that he didn't have time for such things, which made the soccer girl comment he was pretty busy and serious for a kid._

* * *

"Kid! She called you a kid!" Ichigo chuckled. Hitsugaya scowled, and the strawberry immediately clammed shut, not wanting to get risked being kicked again.

* * *

 _Karin then asked why he was always at the cliffside, and he had mysteriously replied saying that watching the sunset brought back memories. That made him sound like he was older than he looked. Which he was, as Karin soon discovered later on. After a moment, Hitsugaya's soul phone rang again, and he checked to see that a Hollow had emerged. He had wanted to go defeat it when Karin grabbed his arm and told him not to go in the direction of the Hollow. This made the captain puzzled, as he had no idea who Karin was that time, and Karin, who realised how silly she sounded, wanted to tell him to forget it when the phone beeped again, indicating that the Hollow had been defeated._

 _A few more days later, Hitsugaya found himself on the roof of a building, watching Karin and her friends as they practiced soccer in the playground._

* * *

"Hang on a minute... You were stalking her?!" Ichigo exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to protest when Karin cut in. "So that's why I felt like I was being watched! And probably why the house next to us felt a bit cold,"

The ice captain grumbled. "I was trying to hide my reiatsu, since I figured out that much..."

* * *

 _Hitsugaya was worried about something. He continued watching peacefully, only to have that moment disturbed when Matsumoto appeared, and once she realised what her captain was doing, concluded that he liked a human girl._

* * *

"WHAT?!" Ichigo spluttered. Hitsugaya blushed, and tried to push it back, a scowl on his face.

"It isn't like that... I told you, I was worried. If Karin had high reiatsu, she would have been attacked by Hollows..." he muttered. Karin nodded, though there was a disappointed glint in her onyx eyes.

* * *

 _Hitsugaya had adamantly denied that fact and went away, leaving his vice-captain behind._

 _Soon, the day of the match Karin had to go to arrived. The opponents were a bunch of middle-schoolers who had refused to abide by the rules. Apparently, they had hogged up the field for themselves when Karin and her team had wanted to play and, getting annoyed by that fact, got into a little argument with the older people, before being challenged to a match to see who was better._

 _The match had started out fine until the captain of the middle-schoolers played dirty and tripped her over._

* * *

"What?! Why that bastard...! If I ever get my hands on him, I'll pummel the life out of him!" Ichigo growled, his over-protective side coming out. Rukia smacked him.

"Language Ichigo!" The petite Shinigami huffed. Ichigo awkwardly apologised.

"What happened then Hitsugaya Taicho?" Kazuko asked, his tone intrigued.

* * *

 _Karin had ended up with a bruised knee, and due to that, her team was losing. It was then Hitsugaya appeared. The team had a timeout so they could greet him, and the captain was about to refuse to join them when he realised that Karin was hurt. He relented finally, and joined the match on Karin's side._

 _Hitsugaya showed amazing skill in soccer, stealing the ball from the opponent while they were dribbling, and their first goal was scored by him. The kick had been powerful enough that the opposing goalie had been knocked down by the spinning ball._

 _They continued to score with ease, Hitsugaya doing the shots, until they were on par with the middle-schoolers. One more point and they would win. Hitsugaya let Karin kick the ball in, and they won that way._

 _They congratulated each other, with Hitsugaya getting some attention, until a Huge Hollow suddenly appeared, and attacked the field._

* * *

"Wait, a Huge Hollow?! Are you sure?!" Ichigo gasped, brown eyes growing wide. Hitsugaya nodded.

"Karin tried to kill it by kicking her ball at it, infused with her reiatsu, but it hardly affected it,"

"Yeah... Then it wanted attack me after that..." Karin added sheepishly.

* * *

 _Karin had been shocked when she found out that Hitsugaya could see the Hollow too, and had tried killing it, but to no avail. Instead, the Hollow attacked her, and just when Karin thought it was the end, she was saved by Hitsugaya, who stopped the Hollow with just the tip of his blade. He had come out of his gigai and was in his Shinigami clothing, stunning Karin as she remembered Ichigo was one too._

 _Hitsugaya then killed it, and helped Karin to get up. There was a lot of questioning after that, including a question of Ichigo's whereabouts, which Hitsugaya didn't know._

* * *

"Ooh... So that's how you guys met. Hm. Pretty eventful," Ichigo murmured. "Oh, we're finally here!" He exclaimed in surprise, noticing that they had reached the Kurosaki residence.

The weary group trudged in, and just as Ichigo said 'We're back', a figure rushed forwards, a foot flying towards the Substitute's face.

"Welcome back, Ichigooooo!" Said a voice familiar to Hitsugaya's ears. Hitsugaya's eyes widened when he saw who the owner of the voice was.

Ichigo grabbed his father's leg and swung it away, sending the old man flying. "Cut it out oyaji! We've got guests,"

Kurosaki Isshin leapt to his feet, a massive bruise on his forehead, but grinning away. "Oh really?! Who could they-" he stopped abruptly, spotting Hitsugaya standing next to his son. The old man stared, unable to comprehend who he was seeing.

"Tou... Toushiro...?" Isshin whispered, his face paling. Hitsugaya stared at the man in front of him.

 _That voice..._ It was the one whom had teased him, so many years ago.

 _That face..._ The face of the man whom he looked up to, and thought of as a father.

 _Those hands..._ The hands of the one who had carried him countless of times, treating him like the child he had looked before.

There was no denying it.

Hitsugaya Toushiro, Captain of the 10th Division, was staring at the former captain of his Division.

Shiba Isshin... The man he thought of as a father.

"Shiba... Tai... cho...?"

* * *

 _A/N And Hitsugaya meets Isshin! Oooh, tensions are rising! I'm sorry for all the things above... This is literally 4370 words long because of all the past stuff. I honestly had no idea how to cut it short... And I can't believe I'm updating just after a day. Anyway, hoped you enjoyed it! What will Hitsugaya do, now that he has reunited with the man who he thought of as a father? The man who disappeared suddenly without saying goodbye? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please! :)_


	8. FT COH: 07

_A/N Hey guys! :) This time there will be some drama, so get ready! I will try my best to not make it so long as well... XD Silly me. Anyway! Previously in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate, Hitsugaya finds out that he was meant to stay with the Kurosakis, and he was not happy about it! As the group walked to the Kurosaki Residence, Hitsugaya and Karin recall how they first met... And most shocking of all was the appearance of Isshin, a Shinigami who was formerly Hitsugaya's Captain! What will happen, now that the prodigy and the man he thought of as a father meet? Find out in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading! :)_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

"Shiba... Tai... cho...?"

Isshin was awfully silent. Then he forced a smile, gazing at his former third-seat fondly. "Hey... Toushiro," The prodigy captain didn't reply, just staring at him, his familiar teal eyes wide. "... Toushiro?" Isshin said nervously, still keeping his smile on.

"Hang on, how do you-" Karin said, stopping when Ichigo raised a hand up towards her for silence. The orange-haired male had a mysterious look in his brown eyes.

"Don't," he murmured, and gently pushed the soccer girl back, along with Rukia and Kazuko. The two Shinigami in gigai were, too, staring wide-eyed at the tense scene before them.

Hitsugaya still remained silent, though his eyes had glazed over, as if he was remembering something. Isshin took the chance to look his former subordinate up and down. The child he once knew had grown. The person who had been so small and thin was now tall and broad- a miraculous change. And it had only been at least 30 years since he last saw his former third-seat.

An astonishing change indeed.

That was when Hitsugaya's face darkened, his fists clenching. "Shiba Taicho..." he said, his voice dangerously soft. He looked to the ground, eyes shadowed by his bangs that fell over his face. "Where were you... this whole time...?"

Isshin froze. What should he say? He knew that Hitsugaya was angry. The ice captain's posture and tone said everything. But there was something that he realised was wrong. "Toushiro... I'm not a Shiba anymore," the former 10th Division Captain corrected.

Isshin saw Hitsugaya tense up, his shoulders growing rigid, and the ice captain bit his lip. The atmosphere soon turned worryingly cold. "I'm a-" Isshin began. That was when the thumping of footsteps down the stairs signalled the arrival of someone.

"Otou-san! Why is it suddenly-" Kurosaki Yuzu, the youngest person in the Kurosaki family, paused when she caught sight of Toushiro, her brother and sister, Rukia and a stranger with blue hair. Her father was standing in front of the white-haired man.

"Otou-san? Is there a problem? Why is Toushiro-kun-" Yuzu started, but stopped when Hitsugaya tilted his head towards her a bit. She froze, seeing the ice captain's eyes underneath his white bangs.

They were murderous, flashing with anger, and Yuzu felt as though she was staring into the eyes of a killer. A freezing sensation crept up her skin, and she trembled. His teal pupils were as cold as ice, glinting with a deadly menace, but within all the turmoil and hate that shrouded them, there was a tinge of sadness.

Tears welled up in Yuzu's eyes at the look Hitsugaya gave her. She was sensitive to glares, but didn't get them often for the bright girl she was. However, the one the ice captain sent towards her was the worst one she had ever seen.

Sobbing, Yuzu ran back up the stairs, burying her face in her hands. Karin gasped, and chased after her, feeling the need to console her twin. Hitsugaya shifted his gaze to Isshin, and the Kurosaki father flinched. Ichigo scowled behind the two 10th Division Captains, one of them being the former one, obviously furious that Hitsugaya had made his little sister cry with his frosty glare.

"You left a note... But you didn't even say goodbye..." the ice captain suddenly said. Isshin did not like where the topic was going towards.

"Yeah, I know... I'm sorry for that..." he stated, the remorse evident in his voice.

"Why did you leave...? What was it in the real world you needed to see to...?"

Isshin grimaced at the question. "It was... Something very important..." he mumbled, shivering. He caught sight of frost growing along the walls and furniture as Hitsugaya's reiatsu spiked a bit.

"More important than the Division?" The said man whispered. Isshin's eyes widened. "More important than Matsumoto? More important than _me_?" Hitsugaya's voice was rising, breaking slowly as he tried to suppress his rage. The former captain couldn't reply, a look of regret and guilt on his bearded face.

"I... I didn't..." He stuttered, ashamed.

"You didn't care, is that it? You didn't care if you left the Division without a Captain? Broke everyone's hearts? Made Matsumoto _cry_?!" Hitsugaya went on, his voice strangled and broken. He didn't know what to feel. Happy that his former captain was alive? Definitely not. Angry that he had the nerve to show his face after all he did that nearly shattered the Division? Possibly.

Sad? But for what reason should Hitsugaya feel sad? Fury seemed like a better option. He wanted to kick, scream, let out all of his resentment towards the man who had left him and his Division behind for who knew what purpose. So why was it he felt... heartbroken?

"I-It wasn't that I didn't care Toushiro-" Isshin said.

"Don't call me that!" Hitsugaya snarled. His emotions were fighting against each other, so much that he didn't know what to do. His mind was a whirl of confusion. He wanted to punch Isshin's face, yet he couldn't. He wanted to shriek at him, but his throat felt dry. He wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come. _I don't know what to do..._

"Matsumoto and I... We tried to find you when you didn't return after a month. We pleaded with Yamamoto Sou-Taicho to grant us permission to go down to the real world. But what did he do? He _rejected_ us! He had faith that you would come back from whatever business you needed to attend to. And all that faith, wasted, because you never came back," Hitsugaya spat venomously, glaring daggers at Isshin.

"Yamamoto Sou-Taicho sent search patrols to find you, but they never did. Your reiatsu had disappeared, as if you never existed in the first place. Then Sou-Taicho said that you had probably ditched the Gotei 13, and since no trace of your reiatsu was found, you were pronounced _dead_ ," the ice captain continued. Isshin paled to a ghostly white colour. He looked sick, his eyes dulled, the usual, bubbly shine in them lost.

"The Division still hoped that you were alive, including Matsumoto and I. We believed that you would return and fill up the hole you had left behind. But no, you didn't. We waited for two years, three years... countless of years, but you never showed up!" By now, Hitsugaya was screaming. He had lost his cool, his nails digging into his palm till blood started to ooze out, his teal eyes reflecting off his fury.

"You made Matsumoto cry. She would try to hide it and be strong around the rest of the Division, but at night she would cry in her room! I would hear her every time. Do you know the amount of pain you caused?! When you disappeared, everyone was panicking. We told them you just had something to do in the real world and would come back soon. But no! No, you didn't come back!" He screamed, his voice breaking.

"Toushiro, please just-"

"I said, _don't call me that_!" Hitsugaya interrupted Isshin, breathing hard. Isshin fell silent, his head hung low. A thick, suffocating silence fell, the air growing colder by the second. Icy frost was everywhere in the living room, freezing everything.

"It wasn't that I didn't come back because I didn't want to..." Isshin suddenly murmured.

"Then why?!" Hitsugaya seethed, his body trembling.

"I couldn't come back..." the former captain whispere hoarsely. Hitsugaya froze, inhaling sharply. _What...?_

"I lost my Shinigami powers that time... That's why I couldn't return... And... And I had an affair going on too..." Isshin explained softly. He gazed at his former third-seat remorsefully, sadness in his eyes. "There's so much I want to tell you, and Rangiku as well. I had decided that the next time I saw you, I would explain everything... So you would understand,"

Hitsugaya couldn't move. _Why?_ He felt as if he had been frozen in an iceberg, unable to budge from his position. _Why, why, why?!_ Were the feelings he had for Isshin returning? The happiness he experienced when he was around his former captain? The safety and warmth? No, that couldn't be. He hated Isshin. He detested him for leaving everyone behind.

So why was it he couldn't bear to see Isshin so sad?

Hitsugaya lowered his head, gritting his teeth.

"I'm sorry if I brought all of you pain. I didn't mean to. It's just, so many things had happened, and it was so sudden... I couldn't do anything..." Isshin babbled on, his shoulders slumping.

"You promised..." Hitsugaya whispered. Isshin's eyes rounded, realising what the ice captain was getting to. "You promised me you would be with me till I achieved my Bankai... You promised to help me..."

Isshin sighed. "Like I said, Toushiro... I couldn't come back. I lost my powers, and couldn't get them back for a very long time..." he said.

"That isn't the point," Hitsugaya mumbled. His anger had dissipated, the frost crawling on the walls slowly melting away. "Because you left, I was forced to quicken my Bankai training... I was forced to become your replacement... I wanted you to watch me when I achieved my Bankai. I wanted you to be there during my ceremony. But you weren't... You broke your promise... And that's why..." his voice cracked, pained with the battles of emotions he was facing.

"That's why... I don't want to forgive you..."

Isshin's eyes stretched wide, the hurt in them plainly obvious. But Hitsugaya wasn't done.

"But after hearing what you said... About you wanting to explain everything that happened to you... I... I..." he trailed off, gulping. "I _want_ to forgive you... And now... Now I don't know what to do..." The tiniest of sobs escaped Hitsugaya's lips, and he turned away, shoving past Ichigo and running out of the house.

"Oi! Toushiro! Come back!" He heard the Kurosaki male call for him, but ignored it. He ran past buildings, pushing past some citizens who were strolling around. He had no idea where he was going, as his head was down, his face covered.

He didn't want anyone seeing the tears streaming down his cheeks.

* * *

Isshin stared at the spot where Hitsugaya once stood. The temperature went back to normal after the prodigy captain ran off. He couldn't shake the heavy weight of guilt off his chest. He knew that his former third-seat was hurting.

Possibly more than the Division had been.

More than Rangiku, if what Hitsugaya had said about her crying was true.

And maybe, more than Isshin himself.

Hitsugaya was the type who liked to keep everything to himself. He bottled up his emotions, built up a cold exterior, and had a bit of a temper. The ice captain reminded Isshin so much like Ichigo, his own son. The two were undoubtly similar, and their appearances were almost the same, only with the difference in colour, height, and hair style.

That was why, when Ichigo had been born, Isshin had been reminded of Hitsugaya, back in the Seireitei. He had treated the ice captain like his own son, back then, so many years ago.

So that's why he didn't like seeing Hitsugaya close to tears.

"I'm going after him!" Ichigo said, and was about to leave when his father grabbed his arm.

"I'll go," Isshin told his son, his expression one of seriousness. "You tend to our new guest here, as well as Rukia-chan," Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again after seeing the pain in his father's eyes.

"Alright... Be careful oyaji," the Substitue nodded.

"Oh yeah. Lend me your badge," Isshin said. Ichigo blinked, and took out his Substitute Shinigami Badge from his pocket, handing it to his father. The former captain pressed the badge to his chest, and his Shinigami form popped out from his human body.

Isshin tossed the badge back to his son, and with a little wave, shunpoed away to find Hitsugaya.

* * *

Hitsugaya had no idea how he ended up at the riverbank, but he just found himself there after slowing down a bit. He stood at the edge of the river, staring into the water with dead eyes. He didn't know what was wrong with him.

 _ **"You must rest Master,"**_ Hyourinmaru's voice rumbled in his mind. The ice captain sat down on the grassy floor, hugging his knees.

 _What is wrong with me, Hyourinmaru? I've never... I've never acted that way before..._

 ** _"Perhaps it is due to you holding back all your emotions. I told you hiding your feelings from everyone was not a good idea,"_**

 _You're right... Maybe I've reached my limit..._

 ** _"You certainly have, Master. Now, you should go back. Everyone will be worried about you,"_**

 _Are they? I kind of lost my temper back there... And I made Kurosaki's other sister cry..._

 ** _"Even if you did all that, they would still worry for you. After all, Master, you are a Captain of the Gotei 13, and their friend. If something ever happens to you..."_**

 _Ok ok... I got it. And I should... apologise to Shiba Taicho too..._

 ** _"That will be the- Master! Behind you!"_**

Hitsugaya whipped his head around, and saw a Hollow, looking over him. A low chuckle was emitted from it's wide mouth. Poison yellow eyes glinted down at him from behind the grotesque white mask on its face, an arm raised with its fist clenched. **"YoU SmELL niCe... LET ME EAT YOU!"** The monster roared, bringing its fist down.

Hitsugaya watched in horror as the large hand was swung at him. He definitely didn't have time to pop his soul candy into his mouth and come out from his gigai. _Damn!_ How didn't he notice the Hollow behind him? Had he been too absorbed in his own thoughts that he hadn't sensed its reiatsu?

The fist came closer, everything moving in slow motion around him, as death drew nearer.

Nearer...

And nearer still...

Until a flash of black and white appeared, and Hitsugaya gasped.

* * *

 _A/N CLIFFHANGER! :D Well, hope you enjoyed it! :) I tried my best to make the conversation between Isshin and Hitsugaya dramatic... Did I do ok? :( And I just put in what I think would be Hitsugaya's thoughts. Hope that was satisfactory! :) Now... Stupid Hollow! What is this black and white thing that has appeared? What could it be? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Thanks! Reviews please! :D_


	9. FT COH: 08

_A/N And we're back again guys! This chapter will have some time skips and such, and more conversing between Hitsugaya and Isshin! So, in the last chapter, Isshin and Hitsugaya meet, and they talked, which didn't really turn out well... Hitsugaya runs off, but was attacked by a stupid Hollow! But a black and white thing comes in... What could it be? Let's find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading! :)_

 _Thanks to:_

 ** _yashiro-san_**

 ** _Ari 347_**

 ** _Michel Kenneth_**

 ** _Nozomi Rizuki 1414_**

 ** _Kaito1412_**

 ** _Yuki-chaan_**

 ** _Syl The tWins_**

 _ **RandomReader**_

 ** _darknights800_**

 ** _Pastrygirl_**

 _ **Yukine-chan**_

 _ **PaperAuthor** and_

 ** _Guest_** _for reviewing this story! :) Your support is most appreciated! As well as all those silent readers and people who followed this story out there! :) Thanks!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite is the rightful master._**

* * *

Hitsugaya stared at the person standing in front of him. A shredded haori hung on his shoulders, but it was awfully familiar. A sword sheath hung on his hip, the katana still not drawn from it. The man was blocking the Hollow's fist with just a hand, his shoulders not tensed up in a struggle to push back the monster, but relaxed as if his strength was far greater than it.

 **"Y-yOu...!"** the Hollow hissed, its arm trembling with the effort of pushing past the man in his way, but to no avail. A grin appeared on the person's bearded face.

"Yo, Toushiro. You're in quite a pickle here aren't ya?" Isshin teased, glancing back at his third-seat, who was staring at him with a shocked expression on his face. Hitsugaya felt an embarrassed flush creep up his neck, and he looked away, furious with himself about not being careful.

"You didn't have to step in... I could've handled this myself..." the ice captain muttered, clenching his fists. Isshin barked a laugh.

"Then why were you just sitting there, gawking? Hurry up and stand, Toushiro," the former captain teased, and Hitsugaya scowled. The Hollow sensed something bad was about to happen and moved away. "Oh? Running away, you Hollow? I don't think so," Isshin said.

Hitsugaya got back on his feet and took out his soul candy, popping it into his mouth. His Shinigami form came out, white haori flying out from behind him. Isshin looked him over, smiling fondly as he spotted the clean stark white robe with the 10th Division symbol, '十', on it. The Hollow gave a grunt of surprise, black eyes narrowing.

 **"Y-yoU wEre a SHiNigaMi?!"** It spluttered in disbelief.

"That's right. But I'm no ordinary Shinigami," Hitsugaya said plainly, his teal gaze darkening. "I'm a Captain," The Hollow sweatdropped as the ice captain's reiatsu rose a bit, freezing the surrounding area. Isshin grinned at his successor, relieved to see that he was getting serious, even if it was just a measly Hollow.

"Go ahead. Take it down, Toushiro," he said. Hitsugaya's hand reached for the hilt of Hyourinmaru, which was strapped to his back. He smirked.

"No need to tell me twice,"

The prodigy captain used shunpo and appeared behind the Hollow, his sword taken out and by his side. He sliced off its arm before it could even react. Blood splashed out from the wound, and an eerie, bone-chilling scream of pain was emitted from the beast's mouth. Hitsugaya shunpoed again, flashing in front of the wounded Hollow as it clutched the bleeding stump of its arm, raising his sword in the air with both hands.

"You're finished," he announced coldly, his teal eyes glinting like the ice he wielded, then with a mighty stroke, slashed through the Hollow's mask, splitting it in half. It disintegrated, its jaws wide open as it tried to give one final scream, but no sound came out.

Hitsugaya landed back on the ground lightly, sheathing Hyourinmaru. Isshin clapped, grinning broadly.

"Amazing Toushiro! You got even better than I remembered!" The former captain complimented, and that made Hitsugaya blush a little. The ice captain looked away.

"... It was nothing," he muttered, looking away and crossing his arms. Isshin slapped his back a few times, making Hitsugaya flinch and flush even more.

"Now, now, there's no need to act so cold ri-" An elbow was shoved into his face by a particularly embarrassed white-haired man.

"S-shut up!" Hitsugaya scowled. Isshin let out a squeak, clutching his face and moaning. Then after a moment, he recovered. A silence fell over the two as one avoided looking at the other, wondering what to say.

"Sh-Shiba Taicho... I... I'm sorry..." Hitsugaya stammered awkwardly, turning to his former captain and bowing, as an attempt to hide his burning red face. Isshin blinked in surprise. Then his features softened. Before Hitsugaya knew what was happening, he was drawn into a tight hug, his chin resting on his former captain's shoulder. His eyes widened.

"There's no need to apologise. I understand that you felt frustrated. It's partly my fault too, you know?" Isshin murmured gently into his ear. Hitsugaya's breath hitched in his throat, not used to being so close to someone for so long. But he let it be, because it was his former captain. Someone he admired secretly, and thought of as a father to him.

The ice captain relaxed his muscles, burying his face in Isshin's shoulder, hesitantly returning the embrace. "... Yes..." he mumbled in reply. Isshin smiled tearfully, glad that his former third-seat had finally forgiven him.

"Let's go home, ok?" He said, grinning as he pulled back from Hitsugaya, holding the prodigy's shoulders. He ruffled the captain's hair playfully, but the white-haired man seemed unfazed by it, only reaching up to smoothen his hair back to its original style instinctively. Hitsugaya sighed, but a small smile graced his lips, something which Isshin rarely ever saw.

"If you say so, Shiba Taicho,"

"Oi, oi! I'm not a captain anymore. Nor am I a Shiba. I'm a Kurosaki now!" Isshin protested, pouting. Hitsugaya smirked, and went back to his gigai, which had been standing at the riverbank the entire time. He entered it, his Shinigami clothes disappearing, then walked back to where Isshin was.

"Shiba Taicho is still Shiba Taicho to me. I won't call you anything else," the ice captain replied, tucking his hands into his jacket pockets and walking back along the street, towards the Kurosaki residence. Isshin stared after him, momentarily forgetting that he was being left there. He sighed, smiling.

 _Toushiro... Isn't as cold as before... Maybe having friends finally warmed him up a bit..._ The former 10th Division Captain thought fondly, remembering the times when Hitsugaya had used to be frustratingly blunt, mysterious and cold. Now, he was still straight to the point about things, but not as mysterious and surprisingly, more warm. _Perhaps that idiot son of mine taught him something... They do seem like pretty good friends..._

"Shiba Taichooo, I'm going to leave you behind. Hurry up!" Hitsugaya called from the front, and from where Isshin was standing, he was just a small shape of white. Startled, the former captain began to run hurriedly towards his third-seat.

"W-wait for me, Toushiro!"

* * *

The two Shinigami reached the Kurosaki house after twenty minutes, and was greeted by a particularly impatient Ichigo. "I thought you were going to take forever," the orange-haired male scowled, opening the door for them. Hitsugaya didn't reply, brushing past Ichigo and into the house without a word. A tick mark appeared on the Substitute's forehead, and he grabbed the ice captain's shoulder.

"Oi! You can't just walk in here like you own the place! This is _my_ house!" Ichigo snapped furiously. Hitsugaya shrugged his hand off, glancing back at the Kurosaki with an annoyed expression.

"What? Is it wrong to enter? I'm staying here, in case you forgot." He retorted. Ichigo grinded his teeth, fists clenched as he resisted the urge to punch the ice captain in the face.

"Just because you are staying here doesn't mean you can just... _waltz_ in like a boss!" He argued. Now it was Hitsugaya's turn to have a tick mark appear.

"Who's waltzing in?" He growled, and the temperature dropped simultaneously. "If you want to see a dramatic entrance, look over there. Idiot," he jerked his thumb towards the front, where Isshin was merrily skipping towards the door to the living room. He yanked it open, and leapt to the air, attacking someone.

"I'm~ Hoooome~!" He announced loudly, before his face was met with the foot of a pissed off Karin. Both Hitsugaya and Ichigo tilted their heads to the side to avoid getting hit by Isshin's flying form as he was kicked back into the corridor, slamming into the wall.

"There. You got your _waltz_ ," Hitsugaya said sarcastically to the Substitute Shinigami, before walking into the living room. Immediately he was assaulted by a fist, but dodged it. "What's your problem, Karin?"

"I should be asking you that, Toushiro! Why'd you make Yuzu cry for? Now she's so depressed that she doesn't even want to leave her room!" Karin fumed, gesticulating wildly in front of the ice captain. Hitsugaya blinked.

"Oh," he responded plainly, before walking past the soccer girl and up the stairs. Karin seethed, watching as her friend's form disappeared.

"Is 'Oh' all you can say Toushiro?!" She yelled, gritting her teeth. There was no response.

"He drives you crazy, doesn't he?" Ichigo asked his sister, standing beside her. Karin sighed, nodding. "Me too. Makes everything hard for us," Then the Strawberry smirked. "But that's just how he is, though,"

* * *

Hitsugaya stood outside Yuzu's room, wondering what he should do. He could hear muffled sniffling from the inside, indicating that the young girl was still crying. He decided to make his presence known, and knocked on the door.

"G-go away, Karin-chan!" Came Yuzu's voice, followed by a hiccup. Hitsugaya sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm not Karin," he said loudly. A silence fell. Then some shifting was heard from the room.

"T-Toushiro-kun?" Yuzu asked, her voice trembling.

"Yeah. Uhm, can I come in?" Hitsugaya answered, tucking his hands into his pockets as he waited for an answer.

"O-ok..." Hitsugaya pushed open the door slowly, and was not surprised to see a few boxes of tissues on the ground, as well as crumpled up tissue. Yuzu sat on her bed, a tear-soaked napkin in hand, as she stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. "W-what do you need?"

The ice captain gazed at her for a moment, taking in her puffy eyes. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing again. "Look... I'm... sorry, ok?" He huffed out, scratching the back of his neck. Yuzu blinked.

"... Eh?"

 _I swear... Apologies are not my thing..._ Hitsugaya grumbled inwardly. "I'm... sorry I made you cry. I didn't mean to," he mumbled, averting his eyes away. The Kurosaki girl was silent for a moment, staring at the ice captain with wide brown eyes, making him shift uncomfortably. He did not like how she was looking at him unblinkingly like that.

"I-its ok! I-I'm sure you had a reason for getting all angry at Otou-san..." Yuzu said, smiling nervously. Hitsugaya heaved a sigh, shaking his head.

"I _was_ angry with your father... But... I didn't mean to glare at you like that. I know you're pretty sensitive to those kinds of things but I just... I guess I lost my temper and directed some of my anger towards you," he explained softly. "So could you forgive me for that?"

Yuzu beamed, the cheerfulness returning back to her features. "O-of course!" She said. Hitsugaya heaved a sigh of relief, giving her a small half-smile.

"Thank you, Kurosaki Yuzu..."

* * *

Karin rushed to put on her uniform. She was going to be late for school if she did not hurry. "Karin-chan, hurry up!" Yuzu called from outside, and she grunted as she rushed down the steps. She grabbed a few slices of toast from the dinner table and ran out the house.

Her twin sister met her at the front gate, pouting. "You're becoming just like Nii-chan! Too slow! Toushiro-kun and Rukia-chan already went off with Hinamori-san!" Yuzu whined. At the mention of the 5th Squad Vice-Captain, Karin scowled. The girl gave off a vibe of possessiveness, which show out when Hitsugaya was around her.

"What's wrong, Karin-chan?" Yuzu asked worriedly, noticing her sister's peculiar expression. Karin waved it off, smiling.

"Nothing. Let's go," she said, and heaved her bag onto her shoulder, slinging it. Yuzu followed her, after waving goodbye to their father. Ichigo had already gone off to work at his job place as a part-timer there. It was at least better than having nothing to do. Kazuko had also left the house earlier in the morning, heading for Urahara's Shop.

The sisters reached their college in another ten minutes, just as the bell rang signalling the start of school. As the two were in separate classes, they bade each other goodbye and the promise to meet at the roof during lunch, before going to their respective classes.

Before Karin opened the door of her classroom, but before she could enter, she was shoved aside by someone, and came face to face with her school's most vain and richest girl, Tadashi Rin. "Move aside, Kurosaki!" The girl sneered, sashaying into the classroom. Her two minions, Okumura Lina and Kyo Akami sniggered and followed after her, leaving Karin to seethe outside.

The soccer girl stormed in, and immediately saw Rin flirting with a group of boys, as she usually does. The girl was a slut, toying with the boys in the school like she owned them. Even though she was only in first-year, like Karin, she had gone out with at least 5 boys already, ditching all of them and finding a new boy to play with. Karin detested those kinds of women.

She went to her table and sat down, taking out her books for the lesson. Before long, the teacher came in. She was called Shishio Hanabi, a kind teacher most of the times, but strict when an important matter comes up.

"Alright class! Today, we'll be having three new transfer students. Take good care of them," Hanabi said.

"Hai, Sensei," the class replied simultaneously, in a monotonous tone. _Three?_ Karin thought, then smiled. Things were about to get interesting. The teacher opened the door and called for the first student. In came Rukia, her uniform slightly to big for her but she could still fit in it. She faced the class, her hands behind her back.

"Hello everyone!" She greeted in an unbelievably fake tone, a glamorous smile on her face. The teacher passed her a piece of chalk, and the petite Shinigami wrote her name on the blackboard. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia! It's a pleasure to meet all of you! I hope we can be good friends!" She said cheerily.

Murmurs of 'She looks kinda adorable' and 'So hype' flew over Karin's head. The soccer girl smirked, wondering what the class would think when they saw the last two. The teacher directed Rukia to sit in front of Karin, and the Shinigami merrily skipped to her assigned seat.

"Hey Karin," Rukia smiled, her voice returned to its original tone. Karin gave a wave in response as she sat down.

The next person who came in was Hinamori, and most of the boys in the class immediately blushed at the sight of her. Hinamori flashed a cute smile and write her name on the board. "Hello everyone! I'm Hinamori Momo!" She greeted gaily. She tilted her head to the side in a cute way, smiling. "Let's all be friends!"

The class began to murmur, wondering if the last person would be a girl as well. "Perhaps she'll be cuter than Momo-chan," a boy said, and Karin snorted. _You'll be in the shock of your lives if you think thay way..._ Hinamori was told to sit next to Rin, and in response to this, the vain girl glared at the 5th Division Vice-Captain.

 _She must think of Hinamori as a rival now..._ Karin thought, and snickered. Finally, the last student was told to come in. The class looked on with bated breath as the door slid open silently, and a foot stepped in.

Gasps were heard all around the class at the sight of silvery-white hair, shining like snow in the sun. Hitsugaya walked to the front of the class, his eyes somewhat closed. There he stopped, his hands in his pockets.

Karin couldn't tear her eyes away. The uniform looked way too perfect on Hitsugaya's slim, athletic build. He had his uniform jacket on, hanging loosely open, the sleeves covering his arms. His white uniform's top button was open, revealing some parts of his tanned collarbone, and half-way tucked into his uniform jeans that were a sleek dark blue. He also wore his tie, which most students didn't normally do, loosely.

The girls in the entire class were blushing madly, taking in his handsome features. Some were even drooling, one of them being Rin. There was a hunger in her eyes that made Karin feel disgusted. It was plain obvious that the vain girl would try to win Hitsugaya's heart by flirting with him. _Too bad though,_ Karin thought, smirking inwardly. She gave a sidelong glance towards Hinamori. _You won't be able to get past her, Rin._

Even the boys looked amazed, their eyes shining with admiration.

Hitsugaya turned his body to face the side, instead of the front, and it was then he opened his eyes and glanced at the class.

The reaction was immediate. Everyone went wild at the sight of Hitsugaya's trademark eyes, the colour of frosty teal.

* * *

 _A/N Muhahahahaha... XD Hitsugaya becomes FAMOUS! We got some new characters here too, and Rin will probably be one of the more important side characters necessary for this story! Anyway, hope you liked it! Hitsugaya leaves a huge impression on Karin's class with his fabulous looks and attire. He has some fashion sense... XD Anyway, what will happen next, now that Rin has set her hungry eyes on Hitsugaya? Also, Karin will be having a soccer match soon, but is one player down! What will she do? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please! :)_


	10. FT COH: 09

_A/N Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait! We're back in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! :) In the previous chapter, Hitsugaya and Isshin made up! :) Hooray! Also, school has started, and Rukia, Hinamori, and our rather handsome ice captain have made a grand entrance, especially the ice prince himself! :) But trouble is stirring, as a particular girl has set her eyes on Hitsugaya, with the intention of making him hers... What will happen? And Karin has a soccer match coming up. How will she fare, especially when she needs to find one more player? Find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading! XD_

 **yashiro-san: Thank you for being one of the biggest supporters of this story! XD**

 **RandomReader: Thank you! Your reviews are always funny! XD**

 **Michel Kenneth: Yes, you were the first to review the last chapter ^** **-^**

 **Ari 347: Here you go! :3**

 **Tunamau: Thank you! I'm glad you love it!**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it. And it is hilarious that Rukia and Renji mistook Hitsugaya as 'Commander Hitsugaya's older brother', when they were talking to the man himself._**

* * *

"My name is Hitsugaya Toushiro," Hitsugaya said, a slightly frosty tone, as he turned back to face the class after writing his name on the board. He dipped his head, scanning the class with his irresistible teal eyes. "It's a pleasure to be here." A silence ensued, all the students awed by his remarkable appearance and body.

Hitsugaya tilted his head to look at the teacher, and Karin saw Rin eyeing the ice captain's slim, exposed neck, licking her lips. She cringed. It was obvious Rin was thinking of lewd thoughts and fantasies. It grossed Karin out.

"Where do I sit, Sensei?" Hitsugaya asked Hanabi, glancing at the somewhat uncomfortable teacher. Hanabi cleared her throat, forcing herself to meet the ice captain's freezing gaze.

"You may sit next to Kurosaki Karin. She is-"

"There is no need to tell me who she is, Sensei," Hitsugaya cut in smoothly. Hanabi paused, narrowing her eyes.

"But-"

"Don't worry," the prodigy swiveled his teal eyes towards Karin, where she was seated near the window. "I already know," He strode forwards, heading to the empty desk next to his soccer friend. The students' gazes followed him in silent awe as he walked past them, as if they were staring up at a living god.

Hitsugaya reached his desk, setting his bag on the table. "Hey," he greeted Karin, a small smile gracing his lips. Karin blushed and mumbled a 'hello' in return, oblivious to the glares she was receiving from the other girls, especially a particularly nasty one from Hinamori. Only Rukia seemed happy that they were together.

He sat down elegantly, staring at the teacher at the front with his unblinking teal pools as he waited for lessons to begin. Hanabi coughed awkwardly and told the class to take out their books and turn to a specific page.

Karin watched as Hitsugaya did as told, and couldn't help but notice that he had an extra uniform set packed neatly in his bag. _As if he's expecting something to happen today... Something which will dirty his clothes..._ She giggled, causing the ice captain to raise a white eyebrow at her questioningly. She shook her head, signalling that everything was alright.

 _We'll have to see then..._

* * *

Lunch came soon enough, and while Karin was putting away her stuff, Hitsugaya doing the same, Rin and her two cronies came up.

The vain witch twirled her hair with her finger, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously at the ice captain. "Hello, Toushiro-kun~" she purred, pressing up against him. Hitsugaya paused, his eyes narrowing, as she gripped his arm and pressed it to her chest.

"What are you doing?" He asked icily, a dangerous flash passing through his teal gaze. Rin giggled.

"Mou~ I was wondering if you would like to join me and my girls for lunch, seeing that you have no place to-"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to reject it," the ice captain interrupted, his tone flat. Rin blinked. Hitsugaya pulled his arm away, dusting his sleeve as though she had spread dirt on it. "I'm joining Karin and her sister, as well as Hinamori and Kuchiki, for lunch." He told her, tucking his hands back into his pockets as he finished putting away his things.

"W-what?! Why would you want to join girls like _them_? Especially Kurosaki! I mean, don't _I_ look better than _her_?" Rin spluttered, sending a glare towards Karin, who was behind him. Hitsugaya let out a scoff.

"I'm not joining her just because I find her prettier than you, though that is one reason," he said bluntly, and a slight blush dusted his cheeks as he glanced back at Karin, who was gaping at him. "I'm joining her because she's my friend. And technically, I don't know who you are. You are a stranger to me, even if we are classmates." He finished off.

"Let's go Karin. We shouldn't keep the others waiting," Karin nodded, smirking at an open-mouthed Rin, as she followed Hitsugaya out of the classroom.

"Wait!" Rin called for them, rushing after the two. Hitsugaya stopped, glancing back with an eyebrow raised. "I want to join you," the girl said bluntly.

"For what reason, may I ask?" He demanded, eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"Since you say that you don't know me, which is quite astonishing as _everyone_ knows me, I'd like to join you. We can find out more about one another as we eat together," Rin suggested, smiling seductively with her hands on her hips, tilted to the side. Hitsugaya's narrowed even more, and a scowl was almost visible on his face.

"Suit yourself," he said curtly, before turning on his heels and continuing on his way.

"Are you really sure? You should know, that girl is a devilish snake in disguise. She's set her eyes on you," Karin warned, walking at the same pace as her friend. Hitsugaya sniffed, a look of scorn on his features.

"She seems like that type. Which is why I do not intend to know even a single thing about her," he replied. Karin heard the tapping of footsteps and glanced back to see Rin following them, Akami and Lina trailing after their leader like loyal hounds.

Students were staring at Hitsugaya with bewildered looks on their faces, their jaws dropping and eyes popping out of their sockets. Apparently, he was beginning to have a reputation. Whispers of 'bleached his hair', 'punk', and 'seems cold' flew over their heads. But there were also murnurs of 'hot', 'cute', and 'cool', contradicting the negative comments about the ice captain.

Hitsugaya seemed not to take note of any of it, and continued to walk straight. The only sign that showed he could hear all the whispers was that his mouth was pressed in a thin line, his shoulders tense.

They reached the rooftop after a few minutes, and was greeted cheerily by Hinamori, Rukia and Yuzu. "Karin-cha-" Yuzu called out, only to stop when she saw Hitsugaya, and even more stunning, Rin with her two buddies.

"W-why is Rin-san here?" She asked nervously as her sister and friend joined her at the steps. The school rooftop was unique as there were steps which the students could sit on, the principal knowing many of them liked going up there. A few of the less social students were there, talking quietly among themselves and glancing at the group of people they had never seen before. Especially Hitsugaya and Rin.

"Isn't that Tadashi Rin, the school's richest girl?" "What's she doing here?" "Who's the whitehead? He looks hot..." They were whispering now, alarm on their faces. Hitsugaya settled down on the top step, leaning against the railings with a leg crossed above the other. He crossed his arms, letting out a relaxed sigh.

Hinamori sat down beside him, handing him a can of soda, before opening a bento box. "Orihime-san made us some bento! Would you like some, Shiro-chan?" She chirped. Hitsugaya visibly paled.

"No thank you. I'm not-"

"Then have some of my bento!" Rin blurted out. Karin watched as she scrambled up the steps and plopped down beside the irritated ice captain. Even Hinamori looked pissed.

"Excuse me, but could you please explain what you're doing here, Rin-san?" The 5th Division Vice-Captain snapped, her brown eyes glaring. Rin rolled her eyes, flicking her hair exaggeratedly.

"Toushiro-kun invited me-"

"I never invited you. You came yourself," Hitsugaya cut in, popping open the can tab easily with a finger. He took a sip, appearing calm, but Karin observed that his grip on the can was tight, indicating he was trying to control his anger.

"But you said-"

"I told you to suit yourself. I never asked if you would like to join us," He growled, an eyebrow twitching in annoyance. Rin pouted and moved closer to Hitsugaya, causing him to shift away. He took another sip from his soda can.

"Mou~ Toushiro-kun~ Don't you like me?" Rin whined, blinking huge puppy eyes up at the ice captain.

"No," he replied flatly, taking another swig.

"But you don't know what I'm like!" Rin exclaimed, clinging onto his arm. Hitsugaya yanked it away quickly, dusting it again.

"That's why I don't like you," he grumbled. Hinamori was practically sending death glares towards Rin. Rukia and Yuzu were watching while eating their lunch, as if it was some sort of movie. Karin herself was just standing there at the same spot still, Akami and Lina behind her with their jaws hanging open.

Rin whined, pouting and flailing her arms like a bad-tempered, spoiled brat. That was when footsteps were heard, stomping up the stairs. "Rin-hime! Where are you?" Came a thick, gruff voice, and a burly man came up to the rooftop. All actions immediately ceased as the toughest, strongest, as well as the most notorious student in the school appeared.

Sanjo Hishiri.

He was known for beating up a teacher once, and even defeating a gym teacher in arm-wrestling. He had dyed his hair playinum blonde to look special, and even had a laser eye surgery to change his eye colour to green.

Hishiri paused, grunting in surprise when he saw Hitsugaya sitting on the top of the steps. "Hey... You! You look too much like me!" He exclaimed, stomping forwards. He noticed Rin next to the ice captain and narrowed his eyes. "And what do you think you're doing to Rin-hime, punk?"

Hitsugaya merely took another sip from his can, ignoring the bulky gangster as he chatted with Hinamori. A tick mark appeared on Hishiri's forehead. "HAH?! HOW DARE YOU IGNORE ME, BASTARD!" He thundered, clenching his large fists.

Hitsugaya cocked his head towards the bully, blinking innocently. "Oh, sorry about that. Your voice was so soft, I couldn't hear you." He said sarcastically. More tick marks appeared on Hishiri's head as he trembled with fury.

"Y-you f*king bastard!" He yelled, waving his fist in the air. "Do you know who I am?! Sanjo Hishiri, that's who!" Hitsugaya stared at him for a moment.

"Sorry, but that name doesn't ring a bell. Maybe you're not as... _famous_ you thought you were," he replied with the same level of sarcasm, smirking. Hishiri let out an enraged scream and lunged at the ice captain, fist at the ready to punch-

A foot flew forward and slammed into the bully's face, followed by the soft sound of a drink being sipped. Rin gaped, a gasp leaving her lips, as she oogled at Hitsugaya. His leg was raised, his foot smooshed into Hishiri's face, the bully's fist nowhere even near him.

Hishiri staggered back, wailing. "My nose! My sharp nose! It broke!" He screeched, clutching his face as he stumbled backwards. He tripped, crashing to the ground in a heap. Hitsugaya took one last sip from his can, emptying it. Then he crushed it with just one hand, raising his head and looking down at the shaking gangster severely, teal eyes dark.

"You should pick on someone your own size, Sanjo Hishiri." He said coolly, standing up. Hishiri glowered up at the ice captain as he shoved his free hand into his pocket, then began to descend down the steps.

"D-damn you... Just who are you anyway? You copied my hair and eye colour, then you look like you're flirting with Rin-hime, and now you dare to hit me?!" He fumed, breathing heavily as he got to his feet. Hitsugaya scoffed.

"Firstly, the name's Hitsugaya Toushiro. Secondly, this woman here was flirting with _me._ I wasn't doing anything." He snapped, crushing the can further. "Thirdly, _you_ were the one who tried to hit me. It's natural to defend myself," he reached the last step and glowered back at the bully, a menacing glint in his eyes. "And lastly... I didn't copy you. I've had this hair and these eyes for as long as I can remember... And I've never even seen you before. How can you say I copied you, you son of a bitch?"

Hishiri flinched at the deathly glare Hitsugaya sent towards him, his teal eyes as frozen as ice, rage burning inside them. The bully sweat dropped. "W-well... Who cares?! I'm sure you copied me! Anyway, this won't be the last you see of me, punk! I'll get back at you next time!" He vowed, prodding Hitsugaya's chest daringly.

The ice captain's eyes flashed, and he was about to punch Hishiri when Karin stepped forward. Hishiri spotted her and looked her over, before grinning when he laid eyes on her well-developed bosom. He licked his lips hungrily, and the ice captain noticed it. _A pervert..._

"Stop, Toushiro. Just let him go," Karin told him. Hitsugaya tilted his head slightly towards his friend, and saw the worried look on her face. He paused, fists unclenching.

Then he scowled and turned on his heel, walking back up the steps. Hishiri smirked, though he was still sweating. "Rin-hime! Don't go near that monstrous copycat! Come with me!" He called out. Hitsugaya tensed, a dark look returning to his features. Rin glanced at him, eyes wide, then nodded quickly and ran down the steps. Lina and Akami followed after her, casting disgusted looks at Karin and Hinamori over their shoulders. Soon enough, the vain girl was gone, as well as the bully.

Hitsugaya relaxed, leaning against the railings. Karin went up to sit next to him, where Rin had been seated before. "Are you ok?" She questioned, her onyx eyes full of anxiety. Hitsugaya nodded, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Karin... Watch out for that Sanjo, ok?" He murmured, gazing at the soccer girl. Karin raised an eyebrow questioningly. "He's... How should I say this... He's got his eyes on you now..." he explained.

"W-what?" Karin gasped, eyes widening. Hitsugaya let out another sigh.

"I saw how he looked at you. Like as if you were food or something. He's definitely up to no good, so just stay well away from him ok? For me?" The ice captain blushed at the last part, looking away. Karin felt her cheeks burning and pressed her lips together.

"O-ok..."

All the while, Hinamori was looking on, jealousy sparking in her brown eyes. She growled, fists tightening around her bento box.

"Oh yeah, Toushiro! Do you wanna join me for a soccer match? It's held at the sports stadium of this school, later in the evening. I need one more member for my team, since one of my stronger players fell ill." Karin asked hopefully. Hitsugaya blinked, then gave her a small smile.

"Sure, why not? It's been a long time since I last played anyway..." he replied.

Karin's face broke into a grin. "Great! You'll be my vice-captain!" She said, giggling at the bewildered look on her friend's face. "I'm the captain of my team, silly!"

Hitsugaya smirked. "Well, that's interesting... A Shinigami Captain becoming a Vice-Captain for a soccer team..." he mused. Karin laughed and playfully punched his arm.

The group continued their lunch, happily chatting and joking around, unaware that a pair of poison yellow eyes were watching them, lurking in the shadows. It was joined by two more pairs of the same eyes, slitted and menacing.

 **"Hitsugaya... Toushiro..."**

* * *

 _A/N And that's it guys! :) Looks like more characters are popping up! Hishiri's got his eye on Karin now, that blasted perv! And Rin is thinking of devious plots to win Hitsugaya's heart, while the bully has got something up his sleeve! Karin asked Hitsugaya to help her in the soccer match! :D Hooray! Now we can see our godly ice prince in action! But... What were the things that were watching the group? Could they be Hollows? Or... The Unknowns?! Just how do they know Hitsugaya's name? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please!_


	11. FT COH: 10

_A/N Hey guys! Sorry for not updating! I've been busy. Anyway, in the previous chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate, more new characters are revealed! Hishiri and Rin are up to no good! A soccer match is coming up, with Hitsugaya joining in! And lastly, what were those creatures that seemed like Hollows... Or maybe even the Unknowns? What could they be after? How do they know our ice captain? Find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading!_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite does, including all the epic showdowns. I only own the story plot of this story, and some characters.**_

* * *

Lunch was soon over, and everyone returned to their respective classes. Eventually, school ended too. Hitsugaya had shocked everyone by scoring full marks on a surprise test the teacher gave, and during gym, showed astounding athleticism during a run around the field. He hardly broke a sweat. Of course, second to that was Karin, who had spent years playing soccer and running around, so her stamina was considerable too.

Karin led the way to the stadium of the college, Hitsugaya trailing after her slowly, gazing around. A few ways back from the ice captain, Hinamori and Rukia followed, and even further back, Rin and her cronies. Hishiri stealthily crept after them behind Rin. It was an unusual procession.

"We're here Toushiro," Karin announced, slamming open a door to reveal a locker room. Several heads looked up, both boys and girls.

"Oh, Karin! You're finally here!" A girl exclaimed, her eyes shining. "Please tell us you found a replacement," she said, a hopeful expression on her face. Karin grinned and stepped to the side to allow Hitsugaya to step forward.

"Here he is," she announced smugly, snickering. Hitsugaya raised a questioning eyebrow at her, but cocked his head towards the soccer team in acknowledgement.

"Hey," he greeted, waving a hand. Silence met his words. Then an outburst of 'Toushiro!' came, and the ice captain found himself getting tackled down by four boys, all of them familiar. "O-oi!" He protested, trying to push the boys off him.

"It's you isn't it, Toushiro?" Ryohei Toba, a boy with spiked black and yellow hair, said, a delighted grin plastered on his face.

"Where have you been these past years? You haven't been around!" Heita Toujoin, his eyebrows thicker than what Hitsugaya remembered, demanded, getting up.

"Yeah! We were worried something happened to you!" Kei Uehara exclaimed, his thick lips turning to a pout.

"And you've really grown! Wow, you're taller than we are now!" Kazuya Usaka complimented, helping Hitsugaya to get back on his feet. The ice captain scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry... I had things to do. Lots of things..." he muttered, a small smile slipping onto his face. "By the way, I never got to know your names." He said, realising that fact. The four boys whom he had played with, so many years ago, had all changed and grown, but yet he didn't know their names. Just how stupid could he be? He didn't know Karin's name before either, only that she was a Kurosaki.

"I'm Ryohei Toba!" Ryohei said, giving a thumbs up and a smirk.

"My name is Heita Toujoin!" Heita exclaimed after, grinning widely.

"Mine is Kei Uehara!" Kei added, his thick lips forming into a cheeky smile.

"And I'm Kazuya Usaka!" Kazuya finished off, pushing up his spectacles.

"Ah... I see. Good to see you guys again," Hitsugaya commented, giving a small smirk. The four boys agreed in response. Karin put a hand on Hitsugaya's shoulder, and began to introduce him to the other players.

"M-my name is Akari Memu. I-it's a pleasure to meet you, Hitsugaya-kun..." the girl who had exclaimed before said, blushing as Hitsugaya nodded his head and gave her a soft smile.

"Oi, Karin. You sure he can play? He doesn't look like the type who is very athletic," came a sharp comment from one of the strongest attackers on the team, Owarin Setsu. Karin chuckled, a smug look on her face. Her onyx eyes glinted, shining with mischief.

"Sure he may not seem like it, but he is our trump card. Believe it or not, when we were in a pinch some years back, he helped us and we managed to defeat middle-schoolers. And we were elementary students that time!" She boasted, nudging Hitsugaya, who seemed slightly distracted and was gazing at the door suspiciously. "Right?"

"Yeah..." he replied absently, cupping his chin as he narrowed his eyes at the closed, innocent-looking door.

"What's wrong?" Karin asked, noticing his loss of focus. Hitsugaya shook his head in response, frowning.

"Somehow, I get a feeling that someone is eavesdropping on us from behind that door..."

* * *

True as the ice captain said, someone _was_ eavesdropping on the soccer team's conversation. In fact, a few someones, all of them up to no good.

Hinamori scowled, jealous that Hitsugaya was paying more attention to Karin rather than her.

Rin too was feeling envious, her fists clenched and teeth gritted.

Hishiri was angry that Hitsugaya was now taking the girl he wanted to have, which was Karin, when he had seemed like he was flirting with Rin not long ago.

At a corner, Rukia was struggling against the iron grip hold of Akami and Lina, a gag in her mouth to prevent her from crying out.

"I can't believe this... Shiro-chan is paying more attention to that _girl_ instead of _me_! And I'm his childhood friend!" Hinamori hissed angrily.

"I agree! What's so good about that tomboy Kurosaki anyway?" Rin agreed, biting her lip.

"Well, she's got one of the biggest boobs I've ever seen. But what I don't get is why she's spending time with that freakazoid instead of someone like me," Hishiri spat out. The three of them glanced at each other, realising that their goals were all the same.

"Well, this is ironic. We all want Kurosaki away from Toushiro-kun," Rin remarked, smirking sinisterly. Hinamori giggled, her brown eyes gleaming with malice.

"She's a nuisance," she said.

"Well, I'm gonna get my hands on her since you two are after that monster. She's mine to take now, so we have to separate them both somehow," Hishiri added, sniggering as lewd thoughts filled his head.

"We've got to think of a plan..." Rin mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Something which will make Shiro-chan hate that bitch," Hinamori agreed.

"Hmph, for now let's all cooperate and think of something then. This way," Hishiri gazed at his two newfound acquaintances. "We'll get everything we want,"

* * *

"So your team is... A mixed gender team. Hm, I never expected that could happen," Hitsugaya said as Karin passed him a soccer jersey and a pair of shorts for him to change into. Karin shrugged, crossing her arms.

"I didn't think it could happen either. But, well, it did, and it's quite convenient for me too," she said, watching as the ice captain tucked the black and white striped jersey and shorts under his arm, before heading to the changing room. He paused at the door, a hand on the knob.

"You should be grateful then," he told her softly, glancing back and giving her a small smile. Then he pushed the door open and went in, leaving Karin to blush outside. _I_ am _grateful... And I'm thankful to you too, Toushiro. You made me realise that I needed to improve, and if it weren't for that I wouldn't be here right now._

Karin leaned against the wall next to the changing room, gazing at the ceiling as thoughts rambled through her mind, most of them about how the other Shinigami were faring. It was a good distraction from the daunting task of having to play in front of a whole stadium of people, and losing meant humiliation to her team and school. She snapped out of her train of thoughts when the door opened again, and Hitsugaya stepped out.

He was wearing the black and white-striped soccer jersey Karin had given him, identical to hers, only that she had the captain's armband around her arm. The white bold words of 'Karakura' flashed on the back of the jersey, together with the number '10', which was Hitsugaya's Division number. The shirt fit perfectly over his slim build, a faint outline of his abs visible on the black fabric. The sight of him in such a getup nearly made Karin faint.

The ice captain looked himself over, and it was then Karin realised he was still wearing his uniform jeans. She raised an eyebrow, wondering why he hadn't changed out of them. Hitsugaya noticed her skeptical look, and offered a shrug. "Shorts aren't really my thing..." he muttered, flushing a light scarlet. Karin blinked, then giggled.

"Well I suppose that's fine. I've never seen you wear shorts before either, so I guess they make you feel uncomfortable or something," she said. "I'll tell my coach about you, so just head to the gathering hall and wait for me there. The rest should have assembled already, along with the opposing team," she directed, pointing towards the left where another door stood.

"So this is like a real soccer game where it takes ninety minutes for it to end, and a real soccer field?" Hitsugaya questioned, eyes widening slightly. Karin nodded, then punched him lightly on the arm in a teasing way.

"You don't have to feel so nervous. But it's supposed to be that way, since we're in college. Just do your best out there. And remember," she paused, before grinning broadly. "This time you listen to me. Is that alright, _Fuku-Taicho_?" She teased. Hitsugaya scoffed, a smirk on his face.

"We'll have to see about that, _Taicho_ ," he retorted back, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking away, towards the door to the left. Karin watched him leave, then went away to find her coach.

* * *

Karin found Coach Rick in the locker room, carefully sorting through some new jerseys that had recently been delivered in. "Coach!" She called, running up to him. Rick was a short, stubby man. But although he was lacking in size, he had an enormous amount of strength, agility and stamina. Together with that, he was once a soccer star during his school days, before he took a break and became a coach.

"Oh, Karin-san. Is there a problem? I heard you found a new replacement for poor ol' Hikari-san. How's he like?" Rick asked, turning to his favourite pupil. Karin grinned.

"He's an old friend of mine who just transferred in recently. I'll just tell you, he's way better than me at soccer. You'll be able to see for yourself later," she said, delighted to see a bewildered look on her coach's plump face.

"Someone better than Karin-san? That's impossible! You're the best soccer player I've ever seen and taught in all of my coaching years!" He spluttered, flabbergasted. Karin could only laugh.

"He's ten times more better than me Coach. It's the truth. Although I've never seen him in like, 7 years or something, I bet he's gotten even better," she answered, smiling. "And he's going to be wearing jeans, so he shouldn't be too hard to miss," Karin quickly added. Rick's jaw dropped even further.

Suddenly, there was a loud applause and cheering from outside, signalling that the game was about to start. Karin turned away, running to the door. "Wish us luck coach!" She called back, before entering the gathering hall.

She found her team waiting for her, all neatly lined up in a straight row. Beside them was the opposing team from Mitsubu Junior College, dressed in their striking yellow jerseys. The team was also made up of girls and boys, though most were males. All of them were staring at the front of Karakura's team, where Hitsugaya stood as he was vice-captain.

Of course they would be staring. He was wearing jeans, and looked like a prince from a fairy tale, with his silvery-white hair, liquid teal eyes and slim build. That was extremely unusual.

Karin headed to the front, and the ice captain greeted her with a warm smile. "You're back. Sure took your time, didn't you?" He said, smirking. Karin grinned back, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Took longer than I thought to find him," she explained, grinning. Hitsugaya raised a white eyebrow, his teal eyes gleaming.

"Oh, I see," he said, then jerked his chin to the front. "It's time," he whispered. Karin turned back to the front, and once the announcement for the teams to come up was made, she strode forward confidently.

They burst out into the sunlight, and the cheers from the spectators which had been muffled before instantly grew louder. "Alright everyone! Let's have a look at the teams!" Came a loud, enthusiastic voice from the loudspeaker. "As usual, the powerful Karakura Aces, holding a record of 5 wins in a row, with its captain Kurosaki Karin leading them all confidently! Oh what's this? Its seems we have a new player in their ranks, and wearing jeans what's more!" The commentator said.

Behind Karin, Hitsugaya gazed around, slightly awed by the amount of people who had come just to watch a simple soccer match. He heard a faint 'Toushiro?!' and shifted his gaze to the front. He spotted Ichigo's vibrant orange hair at the front of the stands, and the face the Substitute Shinigami gave him was one of pure shock. Hitsugaya couldn't suppress the smirk that surfaced.

"How will this new player fare? Is he the team's trump card, or will he be their downfall? We'll soon be able to see what he's made of, folks!" The commentator went on excitedly. Cheers rang in Hitsugaya's ears, and he cringed, slightly annoyed that the people were all staring at him.

"Now, to Karakura's left, we have the Mitsubu Giants! They are holding a record streak of 7 wins in a row! Will Karakura break that streak, or will they be crushed by Mitsubu?" Louder cheers came, and Hitsugaya saw that the opposing team was striding forwards smugly, heads held high. He managed not to scowl at them, only shooting a glare towards their captain.

* * *

Hitsugaya found himself in the center of the field, the ball at his feet. The sun was beating down on his back, and with his clothes black, he felt extremely stuffy. His jeans were not helping either. He wiped his arm across his forehead to remove the sweat trickling down his face. Glancing back, he saw Karin in front of him to his far right, giving him a thumbs up.

The referee blew the whistle, and Hitsugaya started off, dribbling the ball with his feet. He sensed movement to his left and a flash of yellow, indicating that there was a Mitsubu player advancing on him. In front of him, two more Mitsubu players closed in on him, sly grins on their faces. He smirked, then caught the ball between his feet and leapt, using the Mitsubus as a push-off. He landed lightly on the ground and continued dribbling, a feeling of satisfaction bubbling in his chest when he caught sight of the opponents' shocked expressions.

"Oh what's this?! The new player just leapt over two of Mitsubu's players! He _leapt_ over them, with the ball in his feet nonetheless!" The commentator exclaimed in astonishment. Cheers rippled through the spectators as Hitsugaya dodged yet another pair of Mitsubu players, this time using feint tricks.

He passed the ball to Ryohei, who was running by his side, and moved further to the front, quickly evading another Mitsubu player who had tried to tackle him. Ryohei passed the ball to Akari, who passed it to Karin. Karakura was quickly advancing towards Mitsubu's goal.

"Toushiro!" Karin called out, then kicked the ball towards the sky, high above the reaches of the Mitsubu players. Hitsugaya locked on to the ball, and just as it was about to descend, leapt, bumping the ball gently with his chest.

He eyed the goal, scanning the goalie quickly over and decided to use full force and break though the defense. Time slowed around him as he drew back his leg, watching the ball as it fell to kicking position. Then he swung, his foot connecting with the ball, and it was sent flying towards the goalie like a rocket, tearing through the air.

The goalie raised his hands to catch the ball, a smirk on his face. The ball shot into his outstretched palms, and it gave Hitsugaya even more satisfaction to see the goalie's eyes bulge out from their sockets as the force of the flying ball toppled him down. The ball shot straight into the goal, before it stopped rolling and fell back to the ground. Smoke rose from the goal's net, a faint black mark on the white rope.

The referee blew his whistle again, raising a flag with Karakura's crest on it. The large digital scoreboard at the top of the stadium walls gave a loud _beep_ , and a point appeared on Karakura's side. Cheers erupted from the spectators' side supporting Karakura.

"This is amazing! The first goal was scored by Karakura Aces, and by the new player! It's astounding!" The commentator's voice said, awe in his tone. More cheers met his words.

Karin ran up to Hitsugaya and gave him a high-five, grinning broadly. "I knew I could count on you!" She said, pleased. Hitsugaya gave her a small smile and began to head back to his position before, running ahead.

"Glad to know that," he answered, glancing behind him at his soccer freind. Karin gave a whoop of joy as she tackled Akari to celebrate for the first goal. Owarin approached the ice captain, looking a little sheepish.

"Hey... So, uhm, sorry about what I said earlier. I underestimated you and your abilities..." he gushed out, scratching the back of his neck. "You're better than I thought you were... Could you teach me sometime? That move you used to evade the Mitsubu players was awesome!" He said, grinning. Hitsugaya scoffed, a smirk on his face.

"I'll see about that..." he said.

* * *

The match went on, and the Mitsubu Giants were struggling. Not once did they go near Karakura's goal. Every time they had the ball, Hitsugaya would step in and intercept it from right under their noses, before continuing towards their goal and scoring. When half-time came, the captain had gone to try and eavesdrop on their conversations for any hints of their strategy and methods to a certain skill, only for the same person who had made the match so difficult for them to appear and catch him.

Hitsugaya had sent him off with a warning and an ice-cold glare.

Half-time soon ended, and by the time the match was three-quarters in, Karakura had scored 7 goals. Mitsubu had none. The coach was getting extremely frustrated and kept yelling at the Mitsubu players to buck up.

When they tried to trap Hitsugaya to prevent him from intefering, the ice captain had merely smirked and dodged them, as if they were playing rugby. He evaded four Mitsubu players in an instant and snatched the ball away again, not breaking a sweat like it was as simple as a walk in the park.

The match eventually ended, and Mitsubu lost to Karakura 0-9. Six of the goals Karakura scored was done by Hitsugaya. Karin scored two, while Owarin managed to kick in one. It was a great feat for Karakura, and Coach Rick was beyond happy. The team had managed to move on to the semi-finals, with Mitsubu having to break its streak and come to a disheartening stop.

In the locker rooms, everyone crowded around Hitsugaya, complimenting him and fawning over him like he was a famous celebrity. Technically, he had become a star after scoring six continuous goals, before letting the rest of the team have a chance.

Hitsugaya felt a little awkward and uncomfortable, being in the center of attention. Very soon, he got fed up and went away to the outside, seeking out Karin who had gone to meet with her family.

"Oi, Toushiro! Over here!" Karin called out, waving her arms as she spotted her friend wandering around, searching for her. Hitsugaya perked up, spotted her, and ran up. He was immediately tackled by a teary Isshin, but kneed his former captain in the gut before he was hit.

"I-I'm... proud of... you... Toushiro! You hid such... hidden talent!" Isshin wheezed out, doubling over as he gasped for air. Hitsugaya smirked and opened his mouth to say something, when he suddenly sensed the reiatsu of a Hollow.

His head snapped towards the direction of the reiatsu, eyes narrowed. "Wait here for a moment," he told the Kurosaki family, then took out his soul candy from his pocket and popped it into his mouth. Karin looked about to protest, but didn't get the chance as the ice captain, in his Shinigami form, shunpoed away.

* * *

Hitsugaya leapt over buildings, frowning as he checked his soul phone. _That's odd... It's not beeping. It normally does when a Hollow is around... Maybe it's broken? I'll have to check it over later..._ he thought, finally reaching his destination. It was the park, which was unusually deserted.

The ice captain felt suspicious. _Why isn't anyone around?_ He wandered around for a bit, searching for the Hollow which he had sensed. But there was no monster in sight, only an empty park.

 _I swear I sensed a Hollow around here... But where is it? Is this some kind of-_

"Toushiro! Watch out! Behind you!" Ichigo's voice interrupted his thoughts. Hitsugaya sensed Ichigo's overwhelming reiatsu and turned, about to ask him what he meant, when a sudden excruciating pain zapped through his body.

The metallic tang of blood filled his mouth and he spat some of the red liquid out, choking. "E-eh...?"

His eyesight blurred, and he felt something slide out of him. The wounded ice captain looked down shakily, and saw thick scarlet blood pour out from a deep wound in his stomach. He only had time to look up and see the poison yellow pupils of an Unknown in front of him, before he was slashed from his shoulder down, more blood spraying.

Hitsugaya swayed, feeling his strength leaving his body. Through his darkening vision, he saw the black shape of the Unknown disappear, indicating that it had fled. He reached out for it subconsciously, only to grab at thin air.

Then a shudder ran up his back and he collapsed, oblivious to the cries and screams of his Shinigami subordinates, as well as Karin.

* * *

 _A/N So... Hehe, that's it! Please don't be mad at me for hurting Hitsugaya! Dx Ahem, anyway... Hitsugaya became a soccer star! And it seems that Hinamori, Rin and Hishiri are up to something evil so that they can separate our two lovebirds! Dx And finally, our poor ice prince was tricked into thinking a Hollow had appeared, only to realise too late that the 'Hollow' was actually an Unknown! Oh no! Dx What will happen next? Will Hitsugaya be able to recover? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please! :)_


	12. FT COH: 11

_A/N Hey guys! We're back in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! So, in the previous chapter, Hitsugaya took part in the soccer match and won! So easily! :D Hinamori, Rin and Hishiri... They're plotting something drastic! And the last thing that happened was the appearance... Of an UNKNOWN! Hitsugaya gets wounded! Oh no! Dx What wil happen to our beloved ice prince?! Find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading! XD_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all. :)_**

* * *

Karin quietly stared at her tea cup, watching as the brown liquid in it rippled gently. Ichigo was pacing around beside her like a caged tiger, a frustrated scowl on his face. Hinamori and Rukia were also seated, whispering to each other.

The four of them had brought Hitsugaya to Urahara's Shop to get treated by Tessai, who had been the former captain of the Kidou Squad in Seireitei. Currently, Isshin was inside the rooms with the assistant shopkeeper. Urahara had gone to call for the rest of the Shinigami scattered around Karakura together with Yoruichi, so they could gather and discuss about the situation.

Yuzu had been sent home earlier, so there was no need to worry about the youngest Kurosaki child.

There was the sound of a door being slammed open, and Renji came in, followed by Hisagi, Kira and Kazuko. The 10th Division fourth-seat rushed in, his face flushed with worry. A few minutes later, Matsumoto came hurtling in, and after that, Ikkaku and Yumichika. Hirako came in a bit later, a wide frown on his face.

The large group of Shinigami gathered in the small living room, making it extremely cramp. But no one cared.

"What happened?! Taicho- where is he?! Where's my taicho?!" Matsumoto was asking, running her hands through her hair flusteredly. Urahara strode in with Yoruichi at that moment.

"Tessai-san is treating him now. Isshin-san is inside with him, so there's no need to worry about him getting abducted." The shopkeeper assured. The vice-captain relaxed slightly, but was still biting her thumb anxiously. "They should be done soon," Urahara added.

However, minutes turned to hours, and by then, the Shinigami were already getting sick of waiting. "What's taking so long?!" Renji demanded angrily.

"Let's just call Orihime over!" Matsumoto agreed, getting up.

It was then the door to the rooms opened, and Tessai stumbled in wearily, his shoulders sagging. "I apologise... I tried doing everything I could but somehow the wound would not close..." he said, head hung in shame. Gasps came from the Shinigami, and before anyone could stop her, Matsumoto ran out, coming out of her gigai.

"Rangiku-san!" Hisagi yelled, chasing after her after leaving his gigai as well.

"What do you mean the wound would not close, Tessai-san?!" Hinamori asked, her voice high-pitched with panic. Tessai shook his head, before gesturing for her to come in. Hinamori jumped to her feet, about to follow after the former Kidou Captain, when a strangled, muffled scream came from inside the room.

Immediately, all the Shinigami barged into the room, accidentally breaking down the door. Gasps and cries came at the sight before them. Karin had to squeeze through the crowd of Shinigami in order to see what was going on, and she popped out in the front, staggering.

She blinked and found herself staring at the eyes of her father. "What are you doing here Karin?! Get out!" Isshin ordered, his voice strained. Karin ignored him, shoving past him and reaching Hitsugaya's futon.

Her onyx eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth in an instant.

There Hitsugaya lay, in a freshly changed white yukata. His white hair was matted to his forehead, as messy as a lion's mane. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, sweat trickling down his face. A gag was placed in his mouth, which explained the muffled screaming. Only, it was stained, spots of blood red here and there on the cloth. Even his yukata was bloodied, and his wrists had been tied up, arms above his head. There was a large bloody spot on the bandages around his stomach, slowly spreading further. Even the bandages around his shoulder and down were already entirely drenched in blood.

Karin sank to her knees, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight before her. Never had she seen so much _blood_. It was disgusting to look at, but yet Karin couldn't look away. It was Hitsugaya that was wounded. Her dear friend.

Her heart suddenly began to beat wildly, her breaths becoming more ragged. _Why?_ Her thoughts became frenzied, jumbled, as Hinamori went passed her and knelt before her childhood friend, preparing a healing Kidou. A green aura shrouded her hands and she pressed them to Hitsugaya's stomach, lightly, gently.

Yet he screamed in pain.

His teal eyes flew open, wild and glazed, as he thrashed, and Isshin went to restrain him down. Hinamori gritted her teeth, trying to heal up the wound, to staunch the blood flow. Hitsugaya's feet, unbound, lashed out at her, and the healing process was broken.

Karin felt a hand tug at her arm and found herself being dragged away. She looked up to see her brother, a distressed look on his face. Ichigo brought her to the living room and left her there, quietly telling her to rest before he went back to the room. Just as he went in, Matsumoto and Hisagi returned, with Inoue Orihime in Hisagi's arms. The 9th Division Vice-Captain set the healer down, and she began to head towards the room, a determined look on her face.

Inoue passed Karin, and the soccer girl grabbed the orange-haired woman's hand. "Orihime-chan..." she whsipered weakly. Inoue paused, glancing down at her, wide-eyed.

"Yes, Karin-chan?" She said softly, kneeling down to meet Karin eye to eye.

Tears unconsciously welled up in Karin's eyes, and she sobbed, unable to get the image of Hitsugaya's broken body out of her head. "Please... Help him. Save him, I'm begging you," she sniffled, gripping Inoue's hand more tightly.

Inoue's eyes widened further, but then a look of seriousness came, and she nodded. "I will, Karin-chan. So don't worry. I'll do my best," she soothed, getting up, before heading into the room.

Karin sobbed again, pulling her knees together and hugging them. She buried her head in them, hiding her tears.

Never had she felt so useless in her life.

* * *

 _The door flew open-_

 _A figure stood there-_

 _It was dark, everything was gloomy-_

 _The light of candles in front of him did little to brighten the sinister atmosphere that had suddenly poured in, right after the figure appeared-_

 _A knife-_

 _Screams-_

 _Tears-_

 _A cake falling to the ground, the flames of candles burning everything down-_

 _A baby's wailing, abruptly cut off-_

 _A hand, covered in a strange red substance, touching his face, smearing it with the liquid-_

 _The glint of metal-_

 _The knife piercing a man through the heart-_

"Tou... ro!"

 _Looking down at dead bodies before him, a woman's corpse in his arms-_

"Wake up!"

 _Maniacal laughter and a malicious grin-_

"Oi! Toushi...!"

 _The red liquid was splattered everywhere, coating everything-_

 _Footsteps heading towards him, fear in his heart as it thumped loudly-_

"C'mon, wake up!"

 _The sight of red in front of his eyes, running away-_

 _Seeing yet more of the thick substance, and realising that it was blood-_

 _The whole world was covered in blood-_

"WAKE UP!"

 _So, so much blood-_

"TOUSHIRO!"

* * *

Hitsugaya's eyes flew open, and he lay gasping, sweat drenching his pillow. His vision blurred, but cleared soon enough, and he found himself staring into the brown eyes of Ichigo.

"Kuro...?" He croaked out, his voice hoarse. His stomach clenched, and his words turned into a cough.

"Don't speak, you're not well enough yet," the Substitute Shinigami told him. His face disappeared from Hitsugaya's view, and the ice captain had to turn his head to the side to see where Ichigo was going.

He saw his fellow Shinigami crowded around the table in the living room, and realised that the door separating the rooms from it was open. All conversations that had been going on between them died down when Ichigo approached them. The Substitute said something, and immediately, all heads turned to the ice captain.

Hitsugaya blinked blankly back at them, feeling extremely weary. A cry of happiness came, and Hinamori came rushing in, a teary smile on her face. "Shiro-chan!" She cried out, kneeling down beside him.

The prodigy only managed a weak smile back, remembering Ichigo's words about not speaking. But somehow, he didn't feel any relief at the sight of Hinamori. He knew he was protective of her, so why did he not feel glad that she was unharmed? Was it that he had expected to see someone else come to his side first, unscathed, before his childhood friend did?

 _Who else do I care for...? Matsumoto?_ he wondered, and as if his thoughts had summoned her, his vice-captain appeared, crouching down next to him, her bosom dangerously close to his face. He grimaced, tilting his head away. Yet that feeling of relief still didn't come.

One by one, the other Shinigami came to greet him, asking how he was feeling. Hisagi and Kira assisted Hitsugaya as he tried to sit up, so as to see everyone better rather than having them look down at him. Ikkaku and Yumichika gave him tea to drink to soothe his parched throat. Kazuko kept fussing over him, until Hitsugaya told him firmly that he was fine.

Still, no relief came to him. It was confusing.

That is, until Karin came in with Isshin. His heart suddenly fluttered, and a shocking happiness flooded his body. He felt even more bewildered. _I care for Karin... More than I care for Hinamori?_

 _Why? Is it because I call her by her second name rather than her first? But... I have my reasons for that. I don't want to mix Kurosaki and her up when I talk to them... Right?_ Uncertainty came along with his thoughts. The reason didn't sound right at all. Now, he wasn't even sure why he decided to refer to Karin by her second name.

"Are you okay Toushiro?" Karin's worried voice came, snapping him out of his thoughts. He blinked at her, dazed.

"What?"

"I asked if you were okay? The wounds were pretty serious. Tessai-san and Hinamori tried healing you with Kidou, but it didn't..." her voice trailed off. Hitsugaya blinked again.

"What?" He repeated dumbly, unable to comprehend what she was saying.

"Do you even understand what I'm saying?!" Karin snapped, agitated. Hitsugaya frowned, trying to recall what she had told him. Why was he becoming so blur? Isshin, Ichigo, Hinamori and Matsumoto were staring at him as if he was an alien.

"Are you feeling alright Shiro-chan?" Hinamori asked, reaching up to touch his forehead. Hitsugaya scowled, swatting her hand away.

"I'm not a kid," he snapped grumpily, finally coming back to his senses. Hinamori pouted but stayed silent. "And to answer your question Karin, I'm fine..." he muttered, subconsciously reaching up to touch his wounded shoulder, where his old, dirty bandages had been replaced with fresh new ones. A flash of pain zapped through his arm and he grimaced, clutching his shoulder tightly.

"... You're not okay Toushiro," Ichigo suddenly said. Hitsugaya jerked his head towards him, eyes narrowed.

"I'm perfectly fine Kurosaki," he snapped at the Substitute. Ichigo merely gazed at him, a severe look on his face. Then he squatted down next to the ice captain and grabbed the hand which was on Hitsugaya's shoulder, ripping it away. A much more intense pain flowed down the prodigy's arm and he hissed, wincing.

"See, you're not alright," Ichigo confirmed, before poking Hitsugaya in the stomach. Agony, burning, excruciating agony, flowed through the ice captain's body, and he cried out, clutching his stomach. Ichigo blocked the punch that was thrown at him by an extremely infuriated and struggling Hitsugaya.

Sweat was beginning to trickle down his forehead as he drew in deep ragged breaths. "What... do you think you're doing... Kurosaki...?" He snarled. Ichigo shrugged, standing back up.

"That pretty much just shows you're not fine yet. You shouldn't be up," he said quietly.

Hitsugaya scowled. "And whose fault was it that I woke up? You and your screaming," Ichigo sighed, shaking his head.

"I had a reason. You looked like you were having a nightmare. A particularly bad one in fact," the Substitute explained. Hitsugaya's mind suddenly blanked out. _What?_

 _Nightmare?_

 _What nightmare...?_

Then images began to flash through his mind, a whirl of turmoil.

 _The figure-_

 _The knife-_

 _The hand-_

 _Running-_

 _And blood-_

A sudden jolt broke him out of his prison of mental torture.

Hitsugaya blinked, teal eyes wide, as he found himself staring into the onyx grey eyes of Karin. "Get some rest, Toushiro. You're not well enough yet to be up and about," she whispered softly into his ear, her lips brushing his lobe. Hitsugaya felt a blush creeping up his neck and opened his mouth to tell her again that he was fine, but didn't get the chance when something smacked the back of his neck.

His eyesight distorted, and his body became slack, slumping against Karin. His face was buried against the soccer girl's neck, and he felt arms wrap around him, a hand patting his back comfortingly, gently.

"Sorry..." he heard Karin murmur, before the last of his consciousness slipped away, and he was returned to the dark abyss of sleep.

* * *

Karin sat outside in the living room, Matsumoto and Ichigo beside her. Hinamori sat next to the 10th Division Vice-Captain, looking at her hands. Rukia and Renji were seated beside Ichigo, and beside the 6th Division Vice-Captain was Yoruichi. Urahara sat opposite of Karin.

The other Shinigami had gone back to doing their respective things, as Hitsugaya's life had been saved by the healing powers of Inoue. Isshin was inside, staying by the unconscious captain's side in case an Unknown attacked again.

"So let's review about the things we've learned so far," Urahara said. Everyone nodded.

"According to Karin-san, Hitsugaya Taicho had left shortly after the soccer match he was playing in. The reason for that is still unclear, and we will have to ask him once he wakes up again. Kurosaki-san, Karin-san and Isshin-san, along with Hinamori-san and Rukia-san of course, had followed him to find out where he was going, but instead found him getting attacked by an Unknown, correct?" The shopkeeper said. More nods followed his words.

"You brought him here to get treated, only to find out that apparently Kidou cannot be used to heal wounds inflicted by Unknowns. That is a very important fact. And it also seems that only Orihime-san's powers can heal those wounds, though not very effectively. Hitsugaya Taicho's wounds have not healed yet," Urahara said, pulling down his striped hat over his eyes.

"Toushiro also seems to be more sensitive to pain now," Ichigo added in.

A silence ensued, uncomfortable and tense.

"So the abilities of the Unknown..." Renji began.

"They can render healing Kidou useless, instead inflicting more pain to the victim who was injured by them when trying to heal the wounds, in this case Taicho," Matsumoto said grimly.

"Together with that, the victim's pain sensitivity is heightened..." Hinamori followed after.

"They are dangerous indeed..." Rukia murmured, a dark look on her face.

"But the thing is, why attack only Toushiro? It could have attacked the rest of us since we were there as well, but instead it fled," Karin pointed out.

"I find that strange as well. Before this happened, I also encountered a group of Unknowns remember? But when I fought them, they didn't put up much of a fight." Yoruichi agreed.

"And when we talk about the Unknowns in front of Toushiro, he gets ill and everything," Ichigo realised.

"Could it be that, Hitsugaya Taicho is somewhat related to the Unknowns?!" Renji exclaimed, shocked.

"That is a likely possibility... Perhaps he is the one who caused them to appear," Urahara mused. At that, Matsumoto slammed her hands into the table.

"No way! Taicho... Taicho can't be the one who made them appear! It must be someone else!" She protested vehemently. Hinamori out a comforting hand on the vice-captain's shoulder.

"Relax Rangiku-san. It's only a possibility. I too don't want to believe that Shiro-chan made the Unknowns appear. After all, if he did, wouldn't he somewhat be like their master? If so, it would make no sense to attack him," Hinamori said, a serious look on her face.

"Well that's true too. But even so, he's the one being targeted. That we know at the very least," Ichigo muttered.

"Then we'll protect him, right Ichi-nii? Everyone?" Karin said, a determined fire blazing in her eyes. Everyone nodded, and for once Hinamori smiled at her.

"Isn't that what friends are for?" The Substitute Shinigami laughed.

* * *

"Oi Ichigo,"

"What Rukia?"

"You know, you should really let go of Karin now."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She's a big girl, and she knows how to defend herself. She takes after you, you know?"

"... But still..."

"For heaven's sake, Ichigo! She's already nineteen! She needs to be given some space of her own. You can't keep trying to protect everyone, especially your family since you can only come to the real world for a week every few months,"

"But I..."

"Ichigo, please... I know you don't like it when boys get too close to her, especially _him_."

"Hell right I dislike it. And I don't like the fact that _he's_ getting all charming around her. And somehow I get the feeling that Karin..."

"Likes him?"

"Don't say that! I'm sure it's just as a-"

"Look Ichigo. Have you seen Karin's eyes when she looks at him?"

"... No,"

"Do you know what kind of emotion are in those eyes of hers when she gazes at him?"

"... No..."

"And to think you're her brother. If you can't even tell that your own little sister is in love-"

"She is not!"

"She is, Ichigo. You know it too,"

"... But... She's..."

"Just think about it for a while Ichigo. Observe how she acts around him, just for a day at least."

"... Fine,"

* * *

 _A/N So we've got a few situations here! Hitsugaya has been badly wounded! And it appears that the Unknowns are targeting him, but for what reason?! Oh, the horrors! Dx What was that strange dream Hitsugaya had? And just what were Ichigo and Rukia talking about?! Who is this boy they keep referring to as the one Karin likes?! Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please! XD_


	13. FT COH: 12

_A/N Hey guys! Sorry for the, again, late update! Dx Anyway, now... We're back in Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! In the previous chapter, we learn about some of the Unknowns abilities! And it seems that they are targeting our wounded ice prince, who may or may not be the one who summoned them to the real world! The Shinigami have decided to defend him, as he is a beloved captain of the Gotei 13, as well as a friend to them all! But... what was the strange dream that Hitsugaya had? Why are the Unknowns after him? And just what will the Shinigami, together with Karin, do to protect him? Find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading!_

 **WARNING: Cursing further into the chapter. Please beware.**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Isshin watched as his former third-seat slept peacefully, his chest rising and falling. Hitsugaya was like a child, a serene look on his face as he clutched his quilt with a hand, while the other rested gently on his stomach. The unconscious ice captain's head tilted to the side, facing Isshin, as he let out a soft sigh.

The former captain brushed some stray strands of silvery-white hair away from Hitsugaya's closed eyes, a gesture of affection.

Isshin wanted to make up for the long years he spent away from Seireitei to his former third-seat, and just by sitting next to the young prodigy while watching him sleep was a good enough start. Hitsugaya shifted slightly, the hand that clutched the quilt letting go and resting next to his head. The former 10th Division Captain smiled, taking the hand in his and caressing the back with his thumb.

Hitsugaya was awfully cute when asleep.

Craning his neck, the Kurosaki father strained to listen to the conversations and discussions going on outside, tightening his grip on his subordinate's hand.

But the only voices he heard were Ichigo's and Rukia's.

"... think you're her brother. If you can't even tell that your own little sister is in love-"

"She is not!"

 _What...?_ Isshin wondered, stunned by the topic of conversation. _Sister? Is it Yuzu? Or Karin-_ He glanced down at his former third-seat, as if there was a force telling him to look back.

"... think about it for a while Ichigo. Observe how she acts around him, just for a day at least."

"... Fine."

And that was the end of the conversation. Isshin paused, trying to comprehend what his son and fellow Shinigami had been talking about. _Could this... 'she' be Karin? Seems likely. I know Yuzu likes Jinta, and he definitely likes her back._

 _Yes, it must be Karin. Ichigo already admitted to me he liked someone, and Yuzu was very clear about who she wanted to marry in the future... Only Karin hadn't told me whether she had a crush or not. But if she does like someone, could it be...?_ He gazed at Hitsugaya's slumbering face, a sheen of evening sunlight shining on his face through the window.

 _It has to be him. The person who calls only Karin by her name, when he calls everyone else, including me, by their first. Could it be he likes her too?_

A sudden, sweet warmth stirred inside the former captain's chest. _To think he would fall for someone like my daughter. And more surprising is the fact that Karin fell for him as well. It was hard enough to get him to loosen up and socialise with everyone... But to think he could actually be capable of falling in love... And with my tomboyish daughter, no less._

Isshin smiled, letting go of Hitsugaya's hand and placing it gently over the one resting on his stomach. _He has changed so much over these past years..._

All of a sudden, the sleeping ice captain twitched, an audible moan escaping his lips. "No... Stop... Don't do it..." he whispered hoarsely, still unconscious. Isshin leaned forward, wondering what his former third-seat was saying.

"Let... Let her go..." Hitsugaya murmured again, his voice now strained and trembling, as if he was experiencing fear and frustration. Isshin noticed the beads of sweat that were beginning to form on the prodigy's forehead. His pants were becoming more ragged and shallow, a fluctuating rhythm. At that moment, a knock sounded on the door and Karin came in, a rather sullen look on her face.

That look was replaced by one of horror and confusion, as she spotted her friend lying on the bed, in a state of discomfort. "Oyaji, what's going on? What's wrong with Toushiro?!" She panicked, getting to her knees beside the unconscious ice captain. Ichigo and Rukia came in, along with Renji, Matsumoto and Hinamori. Urahara followed after, a curious look on his shaded face.

"Taicho!" Matsumoto cried out, scrambling towards her captain and shaking him gently, just as Hinamori covered her mouth and gasped,

"Shiro-chan!"

"It's happening again," Ichigo murmured, staring at his weakening friend, brown eyes wide. Rukia and Renji both raised their eyebrows at him questioningly. The Substitute turned to them, his mind a state of bewilderment.

"That time when Toushiro first woke up. Before he did, he was mumbling some weird gibberish about a 'her' and 'them', all the while looking like he was experiencing a nightmare," he explained, then snapped his head to the three women- as well as his father- crouching around the ice captain's bed.

"Someone wake him up right now!" He ordered. Karin grabbed Hitsugaya's shoulders the instant the words left her brother's mouth and shook vigorously.

"Wake up Toushiro! WAKE UP!" She screamed, nearly wanting to slap her friend awake. Hitsugaya's eyes twitched, then flew open, revealing wild, stunned teal pupils. He gazed unseeingly at the ceiling, unaware there were people around him until he slowly sat up, and was assisted by an extremely worried Karin.

"Are you okay Toushiro? Are you hurt anywhere?" The soccer girl asked softly, her onyx grey eyes flicking across his face.

At her words, a sudden flashback entered the dazed ice captain's mind.

* * *

 _He was running, a neatly woven green scarf wrapped cozily around his neck. Then he suddenly fell, having tripped over some loose pebbles and rocks._

 _The little boy lay on the ground, clutching his nose in pain as he curled into a ball._

 _A shadow suddenly towered over the trembling snow-covered child. Strong, gentle hands grabbed him and helped him up, leaning him against a warm body. The young child looked up, clutching his hurting nose and sniffing, tears in his eyes._

 _A kind, yet shadowed face smiled down at him, arms wrapping around his body._

 _"Are you okay Toushiro-chan? Are you hurt anywhere?" A soothing voice said to him, filling him with comfort and happiness. It was a voice he recognised, a voice he loved to hear say his name over and over again._

 _He wiped away his tears and grinned up at the person holding him, burying his face in the figure's chest. "I'm okay!" He said. All his pain was instantly washed away as the shadowed person patted his head, combing fingers through his silky white hair._

 _"That's good," the voice laughed, lips kissing him on the forehead. He smiled, a faint blush on his cheeks as he laughed along with it._

 _How he loved that voice._

 _The voice of..._

* * *

Hitsugaya had no idea how it happened, but he suddenly found himself on the verge of tears. A fuzzy feeling settled in his mind, and he saw the figure from his flashback in front of him, a worried frown on her face.

 _Her._

That's right, the person was a 'her'.

But who was it? Why couldn't he remember?

 _Why?!_

Before he knew what was happening, his body moved, and he embraced the person, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her shoulder. He heard gasps around him, and the woman he hugged tensed, as if stunned.

He felt confused. _What was wrong?_

The ice captain let go of the person, moving back while keeping his hands on her waist. That was when he realised who it was he was touching.

 _Kurosaki Karin._

"What the-?!" He spluttered, eyes growing wide. A furious blush of rose red in colour dusted his cheeks, and he immediately yanked his hands back, looking away. A weight of disappointment settled in the pits of his stomach, along with- strangely enough- delight.

Hitsugaya pinched the bridge of his nose, taking in deep breaths, his shoulders shuddering. "I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I don't..." he mumbled, hunching forwards as he ran a hand through his hair. Despairingly, he buried his face in his hands, a large wave of images flashing through his mind. The ice captain gritted his teeth, inhaling sharply.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and was turned around, only to be wrapped in a warm embrace by none other than the girl he had hugged before. Teal eyes grew wide as his head was pressed to her chest, his face buried while a hand slowly patted his back.

Hitsugaya jerked back, his breath hitching in his throat. "W-what are you doing?" He stammered, a blush rising to his face once more. Karin merely smiled.

"Well, you looked so depressed, I thought giving you a hug might help. And who are you to complain anyway? You hugged me first. Is it wrong to return the favour?" She giggled, a mysterious gleam in her onyx grey eyes. The ice prince faltered, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Th-that was... I didn't mean to... I mean... It was just..." He stuttered, his entire face turning red in embarrassment. Karin laughed, ruffling his hair, which caused him to blush even more as he fixed it up.

"I know I know... You probably thought I was Hinamori-san right?" She said, the light in her grey pools dimming. Her tone was slightly bitter.

"Hinamori?" Hitsugaya repeated, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He glanced around and saw Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Isshin, Urahara and Matsumoto around him. It was only he looked behind did he see his childhood friend. The vice-captain was staring at him, her brown eyes alight with hope.

The ice captain tried to think back. He frowned, recalling nothing of ever thinking Karin was Hinamori. "No... I don't think that happened... I think I thought you were... someone else. Someone... I used to know..." He frowned deeper. His memories were unusually fuzzy, as if there was a block to them in his mind.

Hinamori lowered her head at his response, her face crestfallen. Karin only looked curious, as well as everyone else. "Who was it?" She asked, leaning forward towards him. Hitsugaya found himself instinctively moving back, but forced himself to stop as he didn't want his soccer friend to think he didn't like being around her.

He scratched his neck, trying to recall the face of the woman he had seen in Karin's place. But the image was blur and incomplete, almost as if he was missing a portion of his memories. It was the same with the dreams he had recently. He knew he had dreams since he kept having strange flashbacks of darkness and visions, but he just couldn't recall what they were.

"I... I don't remember," he admitted after a moment, shaking his head to clear his chaotic thoughts. Karin looked rather disappointed, as if she had expected an answer.

"Moving on, do you know how you ended up being attacked by the Unknown, Hitsugaya Taicho?" Urahara asked, piping up from the back. Hitsugaya cocked his head at him, narrowing his eyes.

"What's with all the questions suddenly? You make me feel like I'm a criminal in court," he scowled, looking away. "And I just woke up..." He added under his breath. Urahara smiled, an amused look on his shadowed face.

"Well, we need to collect evidence on the abilities of the Unknowns after all. So far we've discovered that they can inflict wounds which Kidou cannot heal, as well as heighten the pain sensivity of the victim." He explained.

"Which is you," Ichigo added, pointing a finger towards Hitsugaya. The ice captain grimaced. It felt like he was being accused of something.

"C'mon Taicho! Don't be so cold. This is for your sake you know?" Matsumoto said, jumping on her captain and hanging onto his good shoulder. Hitsugaya blinked, not comprehending what she meant. "I mean, we're trying to find out more about the Unknowns so we can protect you," the strawberry blonde woman explained, catching the questioning look on the ice captain's face.

Hitsugaya found himself tensing up, a growl rumbling in his throat. "Shiro-chan please, you have to at least let us do _something_ ," Hinamori pleaded.

"That's right Hitsugaya Taicho. We gathered all the information we had and put them together, and the results indicate that the Unknowns are after _you_ ," Renji added, looking firmly at his commanding officer.

"And why is that? Why do you think they're after _me_?!" Hitsugaya snapped, shrugging Matsumoto off and getting to his feet. Isshin opened his mouth, but closed it again when he saw the enraged look on his former third-seat's face. Clearly he was not liking any of it.

"Toushiro-" Karin began hesitantly.

"Don't just 'Toushiro' me! Tell me! What makes you think they're after someone like me? For all I know, I'm not a vessel for some kind of powerful creation like Kuchiki was!" Hitsugaya seethed, his temper beginning to rise. Rukia looked down, reaching a hand up to touch her chest. Ichigo glared at the 10th Division Captain, putting an arm around the raven-haired Shinigami. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the furious captain.

"I don't have unique powers like Inoue Orihime which can be of use to the enemy," the ice captain went on, breathing hard. The temperature in the room began to drop rapidly, till the water vapour in the air froze up to become chilling mist.

"And I am _very_ certain I do not have incredible abilities that would turn me into a... _monster_ like Kurosaki!" He finished, pointedly glowering at the orange-haired Substitute. Ichigo leapt to his feet at that remark, unable to control his anger any longer.

"HOW _DARE_ YOU INSULT RUKIA, INOUE AND I!" He roared, shoving Hitsugaya back. The ice captain stumbled back, but kept his balance.

"Why should I care? I was just pointing out the obvious facts!" He snapped back, clenching his fists.

"SHUT THE F*CK UP YOU MIDGET ASSHOLE!" Ichigo flared, raising a fist threateningly.

"You wanna punch me? GO AHEAD AND PUNCH ME THEN, YOU BASTARD STRAWBERRY!" Hitsugaya coaxed, glowering at the Substitute with a look full of daggers.

"Ichigo, don't-!" Rukia gasped.

But the Substitute couldn't hold it in any longer. He swung his fist, and landed a direct hit on the ice captain's face. Hitsugaya staggered, but held his ground, sending a freezing death glare towards the orange-haired Kurosaki. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and saw a small, red stain on the white fabric. His cheek began to hurt, throbbing painfully.

"That the best you can do?" He managed a smirk. Ichigo growled, raising his fist again.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Karin screamed, her voice trembling. The two arguing males paused, eyes growing wide as they turned to look at the soccer girl. "You two always fight. Do you know how annoying it is?" She said, a sad look on her face.

"Karin..." Hitsugaya started. Ichigo could only glare at him.

"Ichi-nii, you keep having anger management problems. You can't ever keep your cool," she chided her brother, which caused him to awkwardly shrug and scratch his neck. "And Toushiro... You need to learn to be more social. You can't keep pushing us away," she turned to her friend, gazing at him.

Hitsugaya flinched, looking away. He turned, so that his back was facing her, and stared out the window.

"Toushiro, I know you don't like it. About everyone wanting to protect you," Karin said. The ice captain tensed, waiting for her to continue. "From my point of view, it looks like _you_ are the one who wants to protect everyone. You don't want to be a burden to anyone by hiding behind them," she went on, edging closer to her friend.

"Isn't that right?" She whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. Hitsugaya tensed further at her touch. It was surprisingly warm and gentle, soft even. He relaxed, sighing.

"... As much as I hate to admit it, you're right..." he mumbled, removing her hand by brushing it away. He neared the window, staring out at the distance, his mind in a daze.

Then he heard the scratching. It was barely audible, but it was there. Hitsugaya perked up, glancing around. Where was it coming from? He opened up the window pane and poked his head out, looking around the area.

The scratching seemed to come from below him. He gazed down... right into the poison yellow pupils of an Unknown.

* * *

 _A/N AAHHHH! An Unknown has appeared again! Oh no! ... So there you have it! Hitsugaya seems to be healing nicely, but with the appearance of another Unknown, will he get wounded again? And it also seems that Isshin is planning to get both Hitsugaya and Karin together! XD Yaay! Poor Hitsugaya, not wanting to be a burden to everyone, but still having to. And that flashback! Who could this strange woman be? Find out in the next chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Reviews please! Do give me your thoughts on this story! It helps me improve, and will speed up my updating process! :)_


	14. FT COH: 13

_A/N Hey guys... I'm back. ;-; And I'm updating only after getting one review. ;-; I feel deeply saddened. Sometimes I feel like the chapters are getting a bit haywire, if you know what I mean. Is that why so little people review? ;-; Or is the story not good enough? ;-; Do tell me... I want to improve!_

 _Well, that aside, let's continue. Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate is back with another chapter! In the previous chappie, we had, err, quite a bit of a predicament. Hitsugaya keeps getting weird nightmares, Isshin is now worrying over Karin's love life and an argument stirs up between our icy prince and orange strawberry... Not to mention the appearance of another Unknown which Hitsugaya so coincidentally finds... AGAIN. What will this string of events lead up to? Find out in this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading everyone! :')_

 _Thanks to:_

 _ **yashiro-san**_

 _For being such an awesome supporter up till now. I believe you have reviewed every single chapter in this fanfic, and for that I am immensely grateful. :)_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Hitsugaya froze in his spot, unable to tear his eyes away from the Unknown's lethal poison yellow gaze. It bore right into his soul, piercing sharply and painfully in. The creature hissed, a hungry gleam in it's eyes.

The ice captain felt exposed. Dangerously exposed. Those yellow pupils made him feel as if he was being touched in the wrong places. It crawled all over his body, looking him over; examining him, watching his every move. Never had Hitsugaya felt that way before.

Then it lunged at him.

And he screamed.

He heard stunned gasps all around him, and shrieks of terror. Sounds of wrestling rang in his ears, beating into his eardrums like the banging of a gong. He felt claws on his shoulders, serrated edges digging into his flesh and cutting into the half-healed wound.

It hurt like the depths of f*cking Hell.

Thick warm liquid began oozing out of the new gashes inflicted, spreading across his arms. It stuck to his yukata like that of a magnet. He felt the claws slash across his stomach, and he coughed out red liquid. Then someone, or some _thing_ , grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragging him back from the chaos.

He heard the snapping of boards, and suddenly something flew into his eyes. Howling in pain, he clutched at his face, feeling more warm liquid trickling down his cheek. Audible shouts echoed around him, ringing in a sickening tune through his head.

The only thing he saw was red, the edges of his vision rimmed with darkness. A sudden reiatsu of red-black descended, powerful and overwhelming. It crushed him, worsening the pain that was zapping through his body.

A roar came, one filled with anger and hate. He felt a strong gust of wind blow against his face, stinging his wounded eyes.

Hitsugaya also felt hands hold onto him, wrapping around his body. His head was buried into something warm and soft, soothing the agony in his eyes. It felt familiar, the warmth. A hand tightly gripped his arm, squeezing it reassuringly.

He could hear the rapid beating of a heart.

 _Ba-dump._

He could hear a voice.

 _Ba-dump._

It whispered softly into his ear, drowning out all the other sounds of chaos around him.

 _Ba-dump._

"Sleep well, Toushiro,"

Whose voice was it? It was so familiar. He could hear the worry, the kindness, and... the _love_ in it.

A name surfaced in his mind. A name he found beautiful. But before he could process it, a thick fog of dizziness came upon him. The red in his vision dimmed down, giving way to more black. He tried to fight back, tried to stay conscious for a bit longer.

But he couldn't. His body grew slack, limp in the arms of someone. Darkness engulfed him, swamping him in its grip of cold. It wasn't a physical cold. It was an internal cold, a hollow feeling throbbing in his chest.

It was chilling, unlike anything he had felt before.

The wounded captain whimpered softly in his half-conscious state, and a hand caressed his cheek in response. It was warm. A relieving warmth.

It filled the freezing void inside him, even if it was just a little. He relaxed slightly, and he felt the same hand run through his white hair, patting his head lightly. "Don't worry," the voice told him again, loud enough for him to hear through his fuzzy senses.

"You're safe now,"

Hitsugaya finally recognised whose voice it was. He let out a soft sigh. Although he wanted to see her face, he decided to follow what she said to him, about sleeping. Closing his sore, hurting eyes, he relented to his aching body's screaming demands for rest, and let the darkness take him, noting to himself to remember to thank her later, for comforting him.

He was indeed lucky to have Kurosaki Karin as a friend.

* * *

Karin clutched Hitsugaya's slack body close to her. The ice captain had finally drifted off to what seemed like a very deep sleep. She glanced at his pale face, watching as the blood which trickled down from his closed eyes dried up.

The Unknown had shown unbelievably powerful and terrifying skills, so much so that Ichigo had to release some of his reiatsu. _Some_. But it was crushing enough to make everyone except the Unknown itself fall to their knees.

To be honest, Karin had no idea how the Unknown even appeared. She had been watching Hitsugaya as he headed for the window, when he suddenly perked up and began looking around, as if searching for something. Right after that, he opened the window and looked out.

That was when he froze for a few moments, before the Unknown burst in and collided into him from through the open window.

Chaos erupted then. The Unknown had tackled the ice captain to the ground and wounded him, reopening the half-healed wounds that were on his body before and inflicting new ones on his shoulders and stomach. The other Shinigami around then sprung into action, coming out from their gigai and attacking the black beast.

Isshin had managed to grab Hitsugaya's collar and drag him towards her before joining the turmoil himself, ordering her to keep the wounded ice captain safe from harm. The Unknown had slipped around the group of Shinigami, its poisonous gaze constantly on Hitsugaya's body, which indicated it wanted to get to him.

Then Renji had body-slammed into it, crashing through the wooden walls and doors. Some of the wood splinters had flown into Hitsugaya's wild, yet dazed eyes, injuring them. Karin had watched the fighting as it raged on outside, with the Shinigami having to release their Zanpakutous.

Matsumoto and Hinamori decided to distract the Unknown, while Renji, Rukia and Urahara performed a synched attack to trap it, leaving Ichigo and Isshin to finish it off. Eventually, the father and son managed to deal serious damage to the Unknown, cutting off an arm. However, it managed to escape before more damage could be inflicted, slipping into the shadows.

Karin saw her brother approaching her, a worried frown on his face.

"Are you alright Karin?" He asked, crouching down in front of her. Karin blinked, nodding. It was strange seeing her brother in a Shinigami's Shihakusho again. It had been a long time since he last came out of the gigai Mayuri had made for him, as his reiatsu was far too tremendous to allow him to live in the real world.

Luckily, the scientist had added some extra features, which included giving Ichigo an extra reiatsu preventing shield around him if he ever comes out of the gigai for at least thirty minutes. It was pretty handy, but the downside was that the time limit of the gigai would decrease a few days, and the repairs would take longer.

"I'm fine. The injured one here is Toushiro," she replied, glancing down at the slumbering ice captain in her arms. There were large red patches all over his yukata, the biggest one of all on his stomach. The cloth was ripped in several places, revealing rather bloody wounds on the tanned flesh.

Ichigo followed her gaze, then noticed the dried streaks of blood on his cheeks, trailing down from his eyes. "Hang on don't tell me..." he trailed off, brown pupils widening with shock. Karin nodded, sighing.

"When Renji-san slammed into the Unknown and the walls broke down, some of the splinters got into his eyes," she explained. Ichigo scowled, getting up. He headed towards the other Shinigami, who were examining the limb which had been detached from the Unknown while waiting for Ichigo to tell them if Hitsugaya and Karin were alright.

"Oi Renji! Because of you and your body-slamming, Toushiro's eyes got wounded!" The Substitute immediately burst out once he reached his friends.

"Hah?! How is that _my_ fault?!" The redhead protested, confused.

"The wood splinters from the walls you broke down got into his eyes you dumbass! Now he's got more wounds needed to be treated!" Ichigo snapped, waving his Zangetsus in the air.

"Well, he should've avoided the splinters then! I've done nothing wrong!" Renji spluttered, completely bewildered.

"Are you saying that Taicho is slow? The reason why he couldn't avoid the splinters is because he got _wounded_ beforehand, you stupid pineapple!" Matsumoto berated, smacking Renji's head.

"That's right! Abarai-kun should've slammed the Unknown into another wall further away from Shiro-chan!" Hinamori joined in.

"B-but still-!" The befuddled 6th Division Vice-Captain stuttered, backing away slightly. Rukia kicked him in the back, knocking him to the ground. "OW!"

"You fool! Stop protesting and learn from your mistakes! And Ichigo! Get back into your gigai, pronto! You're going to crush everyone with your reiatsu if you stay out any longer!" The petite raven-haired Shinigami snapped, glancing to and fro the two males.

"I was going to say that," Isshin chuckled, heartily patting Rukia on the back. Rukia snickered.

"Oh! Oh yeah! Where's my gigai?" Ichigo began blundering around, searching for the body of his gigai.

"It's over there Ichi-nii," Karin directed from inside the wrecked shop of Urahara's, pointing to the pile of gigais which had been stacked up together by Ururu and Jinta while the Shinigami had been fighting.

"Thanks," the orange-haired Kurosaki rushed to the pile, digging around for his own body quickly before the shield wore off.

"Oh? What happened here?" Came a voice, and everyone turned to see Hirako standing upside down in the sky, near the Shinigami group.

"Hirako Taicho!" Hinamori cried out, running towards her captain.

"Yo Momo," the Vizard greeted warmly, before tipping himself back upright and landing lightly on the ground. "So? What happened? I came over as fast as I could cause I sensed Ichigo's reiatsu spike," he said, jerking his chin towards the said Substitute, who had finally found his gigai and was entering it.

"Come in and we'll talk it out, Hirako Taicho," Urahara said, gesturing to the inside of the half-destroyed shop. He tipped his hat down, shadowing his face further. "And I suspect the rest will be coming over soon,"

* * *

True to Urahara's words, the other Shinigami came. Yoruichi came first, followed by Hisagi and Kira. Ikkaku and Yumichika entered a few moments after, and Kazuko rushed in lastly, panting hard. "I... Felt Ichigo's reiatsu... Came as soon as possible..." he gasped out, wheezing. Then he froze when he saw the torn down walls of the shop, which Tessai and Jinta were busy trying to repair. And his jaws dropped when he spotted Hitsugaya lying on a clean futon, shirtless and bandaged up.

There were bandages all over his chest and shoulders, wrapped tightly around his build. There was a faint outline of his abs, as well as some bloodied spots on the starch new bandages. Even his eyes were covered up with the white material.

Matsumoto came in right after Kazuko entered, Inoue in her arms. The healer instantly saw Hitsugaya and went over, kneeling down and casting her healing barrier over his body. After a few moments, she began to bite her lip. "The wounds are taking much longer to heal this time," she said quietly.

"Just what happened?!" Kazuko demanded, flustered. Ichigo patted his back to calm him down.

"Easy Kazuko-san. We'll explain it now," he said, and thus the story was told. The newcomers were shocked to hear that Hitsugaya had somewhat 'found' another Unknown once again. They were even more shocked when they heard Renji was the cause of Hitsugaya's eye injuries.

"I'm telling you, I didn't know! I thought he could dodge, if necessary! I'm sorry ok?!" The red pineapple immediately protested, looking rather annoyed. Laughter came from the Shinigami at Renji's stubbornness about being innocent.

Kazuko paled when he heard about the extent of the damage inflicted on his captain. "T-that severe...?" He mumbled, almost absently.

"That severe," Urahara confirmed. The poor fourth-seat glanced back at Hitsugaya, who was still being healed by Inoue, forlornly.

"Don't worry, Kazuko. Orihime will take care of him," Matsumoto comforted her fellow Division member.

"Hang on. The thing I don't understand is the fact that Hitsugaya Taicho found himself another Unknown again," Hirako suddenly said aloud. Everyone turned to look at him.

"That's right!" Karin gasped. "When our soccer match ended and we were about to head home, Toushiro suddenly began glancing around like he did just now, then told us to wait for him before heading off somewhere. Of course, we followed him but found him getting attacked instead,"

"It couldn't just be a coincidence," Kira mumbled.

"It is _very_ likely now that Hitsugaya Taicho has something to do with the appearance of the Unknowns," Hisagi agreed.

"Maybe he's got an Unknown tracking device with him?" Ikkaku suggested.

"That shouldn't be possible. Kurotsuchi Taicho didn't give him anything. He was just tasked to investigate about the matter," Kazuko snapped, going to the defense of his Captain. Matsumoto and Hinamori nodded their heads in agreement.

"So how does he keep finding the Unknowns while we can't?" Yumichika questioned. That silenced everyone.

They sat quietly for a long moment, pondering about different possibilities. And it was then they heard a soft groan coming from Hitsugaya. "Toushiro-kun?" Inoue gasped, startled. The ice captain's eyes had been covered, so the Shinigami, along with Karin, couldn't tell whether he was already awake.

Hitsugaya twitched, then he paused for a while, before he suddenly heaved himself into seating position. Inoue cried out when her barrier shattered. "Toushiro-kun, please! You're not healed enough yet to be getting up!" The orange-haired healer pleaded, tugging at the captain's arm gently.

"Inoue... Orihime...?" Hitsugaya whispered instead, cocking his head towards her direction. Inoue nodded firmly, then proceeded to push him back onto the futon.

"Please lie back down Toushiro-kun. I need to resume healing you," she said, a rather commanding tone to her voice. Hitsugaya merely relaxed on the futon, letting the healer continue her work. A short, unconfortable silence passed.

"I can sense that the rest of you here want to ask me something," he suddenly said out loud, clearly talking about the Shinigami who were also there. Ichigo cleared his throat.

"You got that right... So help us out in solving this thing by not acting like a grump," he told the ice captain.

"Alright. I'm only answering three questions though. I'm feeling a bit tired," the white-haired Captain replied, not even reacting to the small insult Ichigo inserted into his speech. The Substitute was surprised, but decided to focus on the task ahead.

"First question. How is it that you keep finding Unknowns, when we can't? There was that first incident, and now this," he said. The other Shinigami leaned forward, anticipating the ice captain's answer.

"... That's a bit tough," Hitsugaya muttered. He went quiet for a second, before opening his mouth again. "The first time, I thought a Hollow appeared. I sensed its reiatsu at the area where the Unknown was. I went there to exterminate it, only to realise that there was no Hollow and only an Unknown." He admitted finally.

"So it can-?!" Ichigo began.

"Only three questions," Hitsugaya warned, raising his head towards the Shinigami's direction. Ichigo clamped shut. "Now... About this time... When I went over to the window I heard some strange scratching, so I tried to find out the cause of the sound. Then I decided to open the window since the noise seemed to be coming from outside, and found the Unknown staring at me from below," he continued, as if the interruption hadn't occurred at all.

"Does that answer your question?" He asked, sitting back up again. Obviously he found talking to them while lying down uncomfortable. Inoue sighed and resumed healing him, surrounding her barrier around him so that it adjusted to the new position. Ichigo gave a grunt of satisfaction.

"Pretty much,"

"Second question then. Does Shiro-chan prefer to be around me, or Karin-san?" Hinamori suddenly blurted out. Everyone stared at her. Even Hitsugaya, although without his eyes, glanced at her direction.

"... What sort of a question is that?" The ice captain snapped, a scowl on his face. He seemed extremely pissed.

"Well, Shiro-chan's spending more time with her rather than with me nowadays... So I wondered if you still liked being with me," the 5th Division Vice-Captain explained, wringing her hands together. Hitsugaya paused at that, the scowl on his face disappearing. His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That's an even tougher question... I'll have to think about it for awhile..." he muttered. Hinamori gritted her teeth, then lowered her head. Karin could see her murmuring swears and a ton of questions.

"While I think, ask me your last question." Hitsugaya said, looking back up. No one answered him, giving each other a sideway glance.

No one knew what to ask.

But Karin did.

"Say Toushiro... Something's been bugging me for a while... I've been curious," she spoke up. Hitsugaya cocked his head at her, waiting for her to continue. "Those nightmares you've been having. Can you... can you tell us what they were about?"

At that the unusually calm ice captain froze, his shoulders tensing. A hiss escaped his lips and he looked away again, hunching forwards. Karin saw him bite down on his lip and chew on it, as if in deep thought. The other Shinigami were looking interested, Hinamori and Isshin in particular.

"I... I can't," he finally breathed out, slumping. The captain shook his head, clutching it. "I... just can't. I'm sorry. Maybe... Maybe next time, when I feel like it,"

"But you said you'd answer our questions Taicho!" Matsumoto protested, gaping at her captain.

"Not this one. I'm _not_ answering this one," he snapped frostily, growling. The strawberry blond flinched and hung her head.

"What's so secretive about your nightmares anyway?" Ichigo demanded.

"I'm going to sleep. I'm tired," Hitsugaya said, ignoring him. The ice captain lowered himself back onto his futon, pulling the covers over him. "And to answer Hinamori's last question," he paused, glancing at the Shinigami group.

Hinamori eagerly leaned closer, a look of hope in her brown eyes. Even Karin found herself anticipating his answer.

"I think I prefer hanging out with Karin," And with that he lay back on the futon, his back turned to them, leaving the Shinigami gaping at him, Isshin smiling, and Karin blushing madly.

* * *

Hitsugaya stayed awake until the Shinigami all left for their respective sleeping areas, and he was left alone in the darkness of his room. He strained his ears, checking to see if there were anymore people walking around, and hearing no footsteps, slowly sat up. A sickening pain stung his stomach, and he cringed, clutching his side.

It was hard enough trying to hide the fact that he was in pain from the others when he was speaking to them.

He drew in a shuddery breath, feeling the sweat trickle down his face.

 _"Those nightmares you've been having. Can you... can you tell us what they were about?"_

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get Karin's echoing voice out of his head. He couldn't let them know.

About what he saw in those nightmares of his.

The horrors.

The pain.

And the blood.

They'd think he was going crazy or something. Perhaps traumatic dreams from the Thousand Year War, they'd say.

 _No._

His nightmares weren't from trauma. He _knew_ that very well. Not from the experience of being zombified by a Sternritter either.

It was something else.

Something bigger, and more menacing than the Quincy.

It was a threatening enemy. The Unknowns were being pulled around and controlled like puppets in the hands of a skilled puppeteer. There was someone else behind the scenes, no doubt.

Hitsugaya had a feeling that the master of the Unknowns was connected to him. It was a feeling in his gut.

And his gut feeling never lied.

* * *

 _A/N So we're done! Hope you liked this one. The Unknown deals more damage to poor Hitsugaya... Well you get the thing right? It seems that he is also starting to be more comfortable around Karin, preferring her to Hinamori, his childhood friend. The Shinigami learn something new about the Unknowns, while Hitsugaya himself is uneasy about them. He has a gut feeling... But just what were his nightmares about? All will be revealed soon enough!_

 ** _I will be updating weekly from now on since I'm pretty busy, but more reviews will motivate me to write faster! :3 So do review! See you later everyone!_**


	15. FT COH: 14

_A/N Hey guys! Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate is back! I'm happy to know that you all like this fanfic. :') I was touched when I read your reviews... :') Thank you! To **yashiro-san, Michel Kenneth, mira. alm, Guest** and **Guest**! I appreciate your words! :) I will try my best to make this fanfic much better!_

 _So anyway, back to the story! In the previous chapter, the Unknown attacked and wounded Hitsugaya! It is very apparent now that they are targeting our ice prince. The other Shinigami try to figure out the reason why, and their abilities as well. Hitsugaya supplies them valuable information, before refusing to answer a question related to his constant nightmares, and instead giving a rather astonishing reply to Hinamori's question about him liking her. He preferred to be around Karin! :) Don't worry our two lovers will get together soon... Hehehe... It also seems that our ice prince had a gut feeling the Unknowns were being controlled by someone behind the scenes! Who could it be? What could his nightmares be about? And just why were the Unknowns after him? All will be revealed soon enough! Enjoy thus this chapter of Frozen Tears: Centuries of Hate! Happy reading! :)_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all.**_

* * *

A Senkaimon opened up in front of the Urahara's Shop the next day, and Kuchiki Byakuya came out of it, guided by a Hell Butterfly. He approached the ramshackle shop, a few certain tasks in his mind. Apparently, Kurosaki Ichigo, Substitute Shinigami, had come out of his gigai three times before the one week which he could stay in the real world ended. Therefore, the duration which the gigai could last has shortened considerably.

Byakuya had come for the orange-haired man.

And not only that, he was to stay with Hitsugaya Toushiro's investigation team and help out.

The Kuchiki noble had come to question Kyouraku Shunsui's orders. Was it really necessary to send not one, not two, but _three_ Captains to the real world just to solve the case of the mystery reiatsus? It was highly ludicrous. Byakuya bet the team had already finished their investigations and were just lazing around.

He didn't expect to find Hitsugaya Toushiro lying on a futon, severely wounded and seemingly unconscious, nor to see the entire team bickering about some monstrosity called an Unknown.

"What is going on here?" The noble demanded, looking down his nose at the large group of Shinigami. He also spotted an unfamiliar girl with dark black hair, a tinge of marine blue to it, and onyx eyes. But judging by her reiatsu, she was Kurosaki Ichigo's sister. Her spiritual power was slightly identical to the Substitute Shinigami's. The most surprising one was Shiba Isshin, the captain that preceded Hitsugaya. But Byakuya had no time to be wondering. There were things to do.

The chattering stopped. Hitsugaya shifted in his bed, letting out a soft grunt. "Oi, Byakuya! You need to learn how to lower your volume!" Ichigo hissed at the noble, jerking his thumb at the limp figure of the 10th Division Captain. "You'll wake Toushiro up,"

"I'm _already_ _awake_ Kurosaki," Hitsugaya snapped, sitting up with another grunt. "Your absurdly loud bickering woke me up long ago." He scowled. Byakuya came to notice that the ice captain's eyes had been bandaged up.

"What caused you to end up in that state, Hitsugaya Taicho?" He questioned, not letting his curiosity enter his tone. Hitsugaya merely kept quiet, looking away.

"Nii-sama, do sit down first. We'll explain all of it," Rukia said, gazing up at her brother. Byakuya sniffed, but instead of sitting, he produced something out of his Shihakusho sleeve.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," he began, staring at the Substitute severely. Ichigo blinked up at him, his eyebrow quirked in surprise.

"Wait, don't tell me. Time's up?" He sighed, lowering his head.

"No," Byakuya replied curtly, and tossed a small box at him. Ichigo caught it, and glanced at it curiously.

"What is this doohickey?" Ichigo asked, looking up at the noble again.

"Kurotsuchi Taicho had managed to produce a spray which can extend the duration of your gigai by two months," he announced. The orange strawberry's eyes widened.

"Two months?! Are you serious?! I can stay longer!" He whooped, raising the box in the air. "Thanks Byakuya! Send Mayuri my gratitude too!" He grinned.

"You are mistaken. I will not be going back to Soul Society," Byakuya said, and glanced pointedly at the other Shinigami. "Hitsugaya Taicho and Hirako Taicho are required to stay, but the rest of you must decide whether to leave or not."

Everyone stared blankly at him. "I think I'll go back," Hisagi mumbled. "I have to take care of paperwork and everything... Not to mention print out new copies of the Seireitei Communication for this month!" He stood up.

"Then I'll go back and help you," Kira said, standing up as well.

"So will I. It isn't much fun sticking around here when the enemy won't even show," Ikkaku shrugged.

"I'll follow too," Yumichika agreed. The four gave their thanks to the group and came out of their gigais. They nodded to Byakuya as they passed him, and left. A silence fell upon the remaing members of the group.

"Well... Now sit down will you Byakuya? We're gonna tell you everything," Ichigo said, gesturing for the noble captain. Byakuya barely managed to stop himself from scowling.

The Substitute Shinigami never changed.

* * *

Hitsugaya uncomfortably listened to the conversation as the Shinigami talked it out. Ichigo had sprayed some of Mayuri's new invention onto his body, which was his gigai, and it seemed to work fine. That was currently the topic they were talking about.

The ice captain felt slightly relieved that the Shinigami hadn't told Byakuya about the Unknowns and the incidents encountered with them yet. It made him feel nervous. Kuchiki Byakuya was a man with few words, and had an unbelievably cold demeanor. His coldness surpassed that of Hitsugaya's, the ice captain felt. But most people didn't really see it that way.

Just because his zanpakuto was an ice-snow type, he was the coldest man in the Gotei 13? It sounded more like a pun rather than a title. He _was_ cold when he was younger, but now...

"Toushiro?" he heard a whisper. He sensed Karin's reiatsu beside him, and turned to her direction.

"Karin? What's wrong? You aren't joining the conversation?" He asked, tilting his head. He wanted to see her, but with his eyes covered, he couldn't. And he had no idea whether his eyes were already healed or not.

He heard some shifting, and a sudden warmth at his arm. The ice captain flinched, stunned, and the warmth suddenly moved away. "Sorry," Karin's voice murmured quickly. "And to answer your question, I don't think I'm needed in this..." She sounded rather depressed.

"What do you mean you're not needed?" Hitsugaya frowned, puzzled.

"Well... Actually I feel kind of worthless," Karin confessed. "I'm the only human who knows of this. I thought I could help out since I know a thing or two about the Unknowns... But it didn't turn out that way. I couldn't even protect you from an assault _twice_..."

Hitsugaya felt a blush rise to his cheeks, his neck burning. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when Karin continued. "I know, I know... You're going to tell me to keep out of Shinigami business right? Since I'm a human, _I'm_ the one needing protection?" She sighed.

"What in the bloody world are you talking about?" The ice captain hissed, feeling a bit furious knowing that Karin felt so lowly of herself. He sensed surprise from the soccer girl.

"But..." she started.

"Don't start with me. Although you may be human, you know how to make use of your reiatsu and kill Hollows. You can defend yourself from them. You have leadership skills and can bring your team together, despite the odds. And most of all, you're kind-hearted and willing to help others in need," he stated firmly. _Like me_.

"Toushiro..." Karin whispered, her tone unreadable. "Yesterday... What you said about liking to be around me more than Hinamori-san... That was true?" She asked softly.

Hitsugaya had no idea where the topic was going but he nodded anyway. Slowly. He couldn't exactly see what kind of expression Karin had on her face, so he didn't know how she felt either.

"I-I see... Thank you..." He heard Karin whisper, her voice delighted. A blush spread across his face again.

"I should be thanking you really," he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck. "When the Unknown attacked and everyone was busy trying to restrain it from getting to me, y-you... you were the one who..." his voice trailed off, and he looked away in embarrassment. He could still remember the softness he had felt, and the comforting warmth.

"If you're talking about who held you when everyone was fighting... Yes, that was me..." Karin answered hesitantly. Hitsugaya turned an even darker shade of red.

"T-thanks... I-I was in a lot of pain and... You comforted me... I felt... Safe..." his voice died down into mumbles as he pulled in his knees. He buried his face in them, feeling awkward. "A-anyway, thanks for... staying by me... I guess..." he said quickly.

The two didn't speak for a moment, then Karin coughed. "I-it's no problem... I just did what I thought was right..." she said, mumbling as well. Hitsugaya supressed the disappointment that rose in his chest.

"Well... You're the toughest girl I know..." he said, giving a shrug.

"Hinamori-san isn't?" Karin asked, astonishment in her voice. Hitsugaya shook his head, scoffing.

"She's more of the girly-type. Has been since the beginning. I've never known her to be tomboyish, since I grew up with her. She was always nagging me around like a... mother," he paused, remembering the flashback he had about the mysterious woman. It felt like he was in the arms of a _real_ mother, not Hinamori.

"What about Rangiku-san?" Karin asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Matsumoto..." Hitsugaya smirked, remembering the many fond memories he had with his vice-captain. "She's very outgoing and boisterous. Always going around being mischievous, and trying to annoy the hell out of me. Before I was even her captain, she liked to treat me like a child. And now she still does. Some things never change," he let out a sigh.

"The three of you are the only girls I'm comfortable being around," he said, looking towards Karin's direction. "Especially... you I guess," he mumbled, blushing again. He had _no freaking idea_ what was happening to him.

"Confession~!" He heard a familiar, loud voice behind him, and a sudden softness at the back of his head. Hitsugaya scowled.

"Matsumoto, get off me or I will rip out your hair when I get my hands on you," he snapped.

"Waaah! Even though Taicho can't see, he can still know who I am!" Matsumoto gasped, moving away. Hitsugaya grinded his teeth, seething. Did they _just_ have to ruin the mood?!

"Who wouldn't know? Even an idiot can tell it was you," he scowled.

"Oooh... Taicho's angry! Is it because we interrupted your chat time with Karin?" The busty vice-captain teased, giggling. Hitsugaya paused. _We?_

"Uhm... Toushiro... In case you're wondering, everyone's staring at us." Karin hissed to him awkwardly. Hitsugaya's scowl deepened.

"For how long, exactly, have you been listening to us talk?" He demanded, his tone rather snappish.

"Since I noticed that Karin was missing from the table, fifteen minutes earlier. Heard a lot of things you were saying," Ichigo drawled. Hitsugaya abruptly closed his mouth just as he was opening it to say something.

 _F*ck._

He got to his feet and shoved past Matsumoto, going into another room. "Oi Toushiro! Come back!" He heard Ichigo call out, but ignored it. Hitsugaya was _pissed_.

They eavesdrop on his conversation with Karin, then want to tease him about it, that's for certain. He made his way to the bathroom, which was in the kitchen, bumping into things along the way. Once he entered the bathroom, he closed the door, not locking it.

Hitsugaya started to unravel the bandages around his eyes. He needed to check whether the wounds were healing properly. Once the bandages were off, he blinked at the mirror, rubbing his eyes.

Teal eyes blinked back at him, only a little glazed. The ice captain checked, gazing around the bathroom. He could see much better now, so he assumed that his eyes had already healed. Hitsugaya then proceeded to remove the top of his yukata. A bandaged torso was what he saw in the mirror.

The ice captain grimaced, touching his bandaged shoulder lightly. The wounds still throbbed painfully. He unwrapped one side of the bandages tentatively, and saw several deep gashes across his arms, raw red. The skin was growing back slowly, with the wounds clotting together. He traced the outside of his wounds and hissed, wincing at the pain.

"Oi Toushiro?" Ichigo's voice came from outside the bathroom. Hitsugata spun around, and saw the doorknob turning. He quickly pulled up his yukata and faced the door as it opened, revealing Ichigo and Karin outside.

"You okay?" The Substitute asked, concern in his tone. Hitsugaya gave a wry half-smile.

"Of course. Now get out," his eyes flashed, glowering daggers at Ichigo. The orange strawberry blinked, staring at him.

"Oh, your eyes are healed! That's good," he said, ignoring Hitsugaya's words before.

"I said get out," the ice captain snapped, his temper rising. He gripped the edge of the sink tightly, and a flash of pain zapped through his forearm. A wince betrayed his pretense and hiding of pain.

"Are you... Are you really okay Toushiro?" Karin asked worriedly, stepping closer to him. Hitsugaya froze as he met her eyes. He only just realised it, but her eyes had a beautiful shade of grey and black, as well as indigo. They were so well blended together, he barely caught sight of it.

"... I'm fine," he mumbled, tearing his gaze away. Karin's expression softened as she still approached him, and the ice captain found himself leaning further away from her.

"You don't have to hide your pain Toushiro," she whispered, now directly in front of him. Hitsugaya's eyes widened, and he inhaled sharply. His grip on the sink edge grew slick, and his hand slipped. He barely managed to prop his elbow up before he stumbled.

Karin continued to gaze at him with her gorgeous onyx gaze- _gorgeous_? Did he just think that her eyes were gorgeous?! _Oh hell. What's wrong with me?_ Hitsugaya shrieked inwardly. He gulped, trying to move further in, but the sink was blocking him.

He tried to endure under her powerful gaze, but eventually relented only after three seconds, his shoulders sagging. He looked away, and his hand went to his yukata, trembling slightly. Then taking a deep breath, the ice captain pulled down the right side of his shirt, revealing the unhealed wounds, bandages off, marking his body.

Karin's eyes rounded in shock, a hand flying to her mouth. She reached out, albeit hesitantly, and touched the outside of a long gash gently, her fingers brushing over his tanned skin.

It was like as if lightning struck them. Hitsugaya flinched, while Karin's hand jerked away. Both of them stared at her hand, holding their breaths.

Then there was a sudden click of the door lock, and the two looked to the door, stunned. Ichigo was nowhere in sight, but the door was closed shut. Karin tried the doorknob, twisting it desperately. It didn't budge. She gasped, moving away.

"It's locked from outside," she breathed, her eyes as large as saucers. Hitsugaya could only stare at her.

They were trapped.

* * *

 _ **FIVE MINUTES EARLIER**_

* * *

"I can't believe it!"

"Believe what?"

"That... That Toushiro..."

"What did Taicho do? And where's Karin?"

"He just _stripped_ in front of her!"

"EH?!"

"I'm serious!"

"Ohohoho~ It's time for the matchmaking queen to take action!"

"W-wait, what?!"

"Rukia, let's go!"

"Yes, Rangiku-san!"

"W-WAIT! What are you two going to do?!"

"Let's play One Hour in Heaven, which will need a bathroom! And our first couple is Taicho and Karin!"

"ONE HOUR?! YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE THEM IN THERE FOR AN HOUR?!"

"Relax Ichigo! This could get _steamy_ ,"

"Shut up you pineapple!"

"But Ichigo~ It would be fun! And besides, we can see whatever they're doing right now since Urahara has a security camera in his bathroom."

"WHY WOULD ANYONE NEED A _CAMERA_ IN BATHROOM?!"

"For peeking?"

"EXACTLY,"

"There, what you said just made sense. We're gonna be checking on them anyways, so if anything bad happens, you can pummel Hitsugaya Taicho once he's outta there,"

"... Fine,"

* * *

 _A/N Hehehe... Hitsugaya and Karin just got set up! And now you know who are behind this... :D Anyway, it seems that we got a new arrival! The very astonishing Kuchiki Byakuya! What will happen now that the team has lessened, due to four people returning to Soul Society, but sending in another captain? Will the tides turn between the Unknowns and the Shinigami? What will our two lovebirds do while unknowingly going through One Hour in Heaven(its something I made up :P)?_

 _Next chapters, school returns! Evil plan gets set into motion, as well as more HitsuKarin time! Thanks for reading this chapter, even though it may be a bit boring._

 ** _As usual, reviews help to motivate me and make me work faster! So do review, and see you in the next update! :3_**


	16. FT COH: 15

_A/N Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! :) In the previous one, Byakuya makes an entrance! Karin and Hitsugaya have a little chit-chat session. Which got eavesdropped on by the others. And now they're unknowingly playing One Hour in Heaven, in the bathroom! What are the results of this devious little setup?_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it_ _all._**

* * *

"What are we going to do Toushiro?" Karin whispered, panicking. Hitsugaya didn't reply, just staring at her with an unreadable expression. "T-Toushiro?" She tried, approaching him. Her eyes flickered to the nasty gashes on his skin, which looked like it was made out of marble. It was horrible, those wounds of his. She couldn't even imagine the pain he was feeling.

"Karin... I'm feeling a bit... light-headed," the ice captain finally said, blinking wearily. Karin was alarmed. She glanced around, looking for a place where he could sit, and spotted the toilet bowl standing innocently at a corner. She hurriedly pulled down the cover and grabbed his arm, gently.

A strange tingle shot through her fingers, and she resisted the urge to pull back. Right now, tending to Hitsugaya was top priority. She guided him to the toilet, and he woozily sat down, clutching his head. "Who shut us in here...?" He mumbled tiredly, gazing at Karin with a questioning look in his teal eyes.

Karin shrugged, looking around the bathroom once again. There was a small window high up on a wall, sunlight streaming in, as well as... was that a tiny jar sitting on the sill? The soccer girl headed towards it, tip-toeing so that she could reach it. She brought it down and took a look at it.

"'For Hitsugaya Taicho'? Hey Toushiro, there's something for you. I think it's medicine," she said, handing it to the ice captain. Hitsugaya stared at the jar, looking it over.

"Seems like it..." he muttered, screwing off the cap. "For my wounds I think. But why would it be on the window sill?" He asked, more to himself than to Karin.

"It's almost like this whole thing was set up," Karin thought aloud, gazing at him, a blush rising to her cheeks. Hitsugaya flushed rose pink, flusteredly looking away.

"But who would even...?" Then he flinched, as if lightning had struck him. A scowl formed on his lips. "Matsumoto," he growled, clenching his fists. He seemed unhappy and frustrated. Karin sighed, hanging her head. _Perhaps he doesn't like me... Only as a friend._

Hitsugaya's scowl vanished when he caught sight of the soccer girl's dejected look. "Are you alright Karin?" He asked, cocking his head. Karin paused, then forced herself to smile.

"Yep! It's just... I was thinking of your wounds, that's all. They look pretty... bad," she lied quickly. Hitsugaya's gaze softened, and he looked down at his wound-covered body.

"It's bad alright. But we've got medicine here. I just need to apply it..." He stared at the open jar in his hands uncertainly. "That is, if it really is medicine..."

"I'll help you put it on," Karin blurted out before she could even think things though. The ice captain perked up, a rather obvious blush colouring his cheeks crimson red.

"E-eh?" He stuttered, leaning away from her. Karin gulped, her fists tightening.

"I-I'll help you put it on," she repeated, much more certain this time. She wanted to be of use to him. Not just so that she could touch his toned body. Which was definitely _not_ the case. Hitsugaya seemed utterly speechless for once, staring at her right in the eyes with his mouth slightly agape. Then, wordlessly, he handed her the jar, and their fingers brushed each other's.

Both of them flinched as they pulled away, eyes darting apart from one another. Karin immediately got to work, swiping out some of the contents in the jar onto her fingers. It was a light brown paste, sticky to the touch and relatively smooth. She bent down in front of Hitsugaya, about to apply it on the wounds on the right side of his body.

"Wait," Hitsugaya suddenly blurted, a furious blush spreading across his face. "Y-you can... sit... on m-my l-lap..." he mumbled, looking away in embarrassment. Karin blinked, registering his words. Then she blushed as well, the blood rising to her cheeks.

"R-really?" She asked, hesitant.

"I-I... don't want you leaning just so you can apply the medicine..." Hitsugaya spluttered, biting his lip. Karin straightened up, pressing her lips together as she blushed further.

"O-okay..." she whispered. Hitsugaya watched as she got onto his lap hesitantly, sitting in close to his body. He resisted the urge to hold her waist, clenching and unclenching his fingers to remain calm. His heart was thudding so wildly, it was a miracle Karin couldn't hear it beating.

Karin's paste-covered fingers hovered above his shoulder wounds, twitching. She took in a deep breath, then pressed her fingers to the first wound.

A jolt zapped through Hitsugaya, and he lurched, crying out in pain. He bit down on his lip harder, nearly shedding blood. Karin pulled back, worried. "A-are you okay Toushiro?" She asked anxiously. The ice captain took in several breaths, trying to control the pain flowing through his veins. Then he nodded, shoulders tensed.

"G-go slow," he breathed out. Karin gulped, once again pressing her fingers to the wounds. Hitsugaya winced, drawing in a sharp breath. The soccer girl began to rub, slowly and steadily, sweat rolling down her face as she concentrated. The ice captain's face was contorted in pure agony. He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing heavily as he gritted his teeth, trying to endure with the pain.

It felt like millions of swords were stabbing him in the shoulder, all at different times.

Karin began to make her way down, pausing only to take more of the paste, and continue her treatment. It went that way for a few more minutes, and she finally reached Hitsugaya's abs. Her heart began pounding against her chest. It was the _first_ time she was touching a male's body, especially the one of one of the Gotei 13's Captains. She plucked up her courage and took in a deep breath, before continuing to apply the medicine.

Hitsugaya lay back his head, gasping for breath. He wiped his sweat away with the back of his palm, hissing when Karin hit a rather painful wound. Shoulders trembling, the captain tried to endure, but instantly flinched when Karin's fingers brushed one of the most sensitive parts of his body. It filled him with an extremely foreign feeling which he, the prodigy captain, had never ever experienced before.

Karin gasped, a mad blush immediately bursting onto her cheeks. She covered her mouth with her paste-free hand, looking away. "I-I'm sorry...!" She squeaked out, lowering her head. Hitsugaya just stared at her, unable to say anything due to the aftershock of feeling that unknown emotion.

"Ne... Never... mind..." he muttered, finally finding his voice. Karin looked up at him in shock.

"Eh?" She whispered, eyes wide at the unexpected answer.

"I said it's fine... You... don't have to apologise... for that..." The ice captain repeated, gulping nervously as he met her eyes. Those beautiful onyx pools of hers gazed back at him, a mix of emotions in them. There was shock, mostly, then uncertainty, but the strangest one was the delight.

"Are you... happy?" He asked blankly, looking at her questioningly. Karin froze and pressed her lips together, pursing them. Hitsugaya, completely bewildered by the happiness he saw in her eyes, continued his observation. "You're happy you touched me?" He went on questioning, raising an eyebrow.

"NO!" Karin burst out, then buried her face in her hands, after wiping the paste off with tissue.

"Then why did you look like you were happy?" The ice captain demanded, more curious than angry. The soccer girl let out a long moan of embarrassment. She was making a fool of herself in front of a Captain.

"I-I was j-just happy that you weren't going to kill me or something like that..." she mumbled softly, wringing her hands. Hitsugaya paused.

"You know... You look cute when you're embarrassed," he said, without thinking. Then he halted, realising what he had just spouted out.

 _OH HELL. WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!_

Hitsugaya's face heated up and he whipped his head away, not prepared to face Karin. Meanwhile the soccer girl had an awestruck look on her face, completely caught off guard by the sudden admittance. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, despite her attempts to tolerate the happiness bursting out of her chest.

"Y-you too," she giggled, and saw Hitsugaya's ear tips turn even redder.

"T-tha... nks..." he breathed out slowly, finally turning his head back to the front. Karin got off him, moving away quickly. The ice captain sat on the toilet seat, exhausted. He glanced down at his body. The soccer girl had managed to apply the medicine on all the wounds on his right. "My bandages," he mumbled absently. "I need my bandages. Where...?" He forced his depleted body to stand, but caused his legs to begin trembling. Karin watched him fearfully, an anxious look on her face.

"Toushi-!" She was cut off when Hitsugaya took a step forward, but immediately slipped and crashed into her. A silence fell.

The ice captain was lying on top of Karin his arms beside her head, trapping her beneath him. He was kneeling, and her legs were between his. And as for their faces... They were only a hair's breadth apart. Their lips, to be precise.

Hitsugaya had stopped his fall, and the possibility of landing directly on top of Karin. Right now, the position they were in was so awkward, none of them could even move or speak. Hearts hammering against their chests, cold sweat running down their foreheads, they could only gaze into each other's eyes and feel their breaths on each other's lips.

 _What... What am I supposed to do...?_ The ice captain thought to himself, daring a gulp. Karin seemed to be anticipating something. Her eyes were alight with a little hope, but mostly fright and uncertainty. Could it be that she...?

 _Then... Then I'll give it to her. Even if this was just an accident..._ He thought, feeling a little ashamed at the idea. But this was a one-time chance. Hitsugaya himself felt excited at the idea, although he had no clue why. He tilted his head downwards a bit, so that their lips were brushing. Karin's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips.

The ice captain captured that gasp and pressed his lips to hers, a little passionately. The amazed soccer girl couldn't believe what was happening right now. At that very moment in time, all she could do was let Hitsugaya's unbelievably soft lips take control.

She, Kurosaki Karin, was being kissed by Hitsugaya Toushiro, a Captain of the 10th Division from the Gotei 13.

Ice captain.

Prodigy child.

And...

The man whom she liked ever since they met.

Karin overcame her astonishment and kissed back, her hands resting on Hitsugaya's chest. She closed her eyes, wanting to relish the delight and pleasure. But the moment was interrupted when the door burst open, and an enraged Ichigo stood outside. The two immediately drew back from each other, turning to the door in bewilderment, but everything had been seen.

"TOUSHIRO, YOU BASTARD!" Ichigo roared, and the poor, already exhausted Hitsugaya, felt so humiliated at being caught making out with Karin that... He fainted.

* * *

"Total Knock Out!" Urahara called, just after Hitsugaya collapsed. Karin squeaked, blushing as she held onto the ice captain's waist. Matsumoto and Rukia came in, their eyes shining.

"That was the best setup ever!" The 10th Division Vice-Captain beamed. Rukia nodded her head in agreement vigorously.

"IT WAS NOT!" Ichigo roared, stomping forwards while eyeing the limp figure of Hitsugaya suspiciously. Rukia cuffed his ear, glaring up at him.

"How can you say that? You should be happy for Karin!"

"Wha-?! Why should I?! She was just forcefully kissed by _Toushiro_!" The orange strawberry snapped, glowering back.

"Didn't I tell you to observe how she acted around him?! If she didn't like it, she could have pushed him off, but she didn't!" Rukia countered, glancing to the said girl who was now sitting up, staring at them with her mouth open.

"She could have been restrained down by him!" Ichigo sputtered, trying to come up with excuses to change the petite Shinigami's mind.

"Did it _look_ like that? She could move her hands, you fool! And her feet as well-"

"You know, the two of you should just date. You're _meant_ for each other," Renji joked, appearing suddenly. Both Rukia and Ichigo rounded on him, punching him simultaneously in the face.

"SHUT UP RENJI!" The bickering duo thundered, glaring daggers at the red pineapple, who was lying on the ground, clutching his face.

Karin watched on quietly, holding onto Hitsugaya's motionless body. She tightened her grip on his arm, feeling slightly ashamed and betrayed. It was nothing but a setup. Perhaps Hitsugaya knew of it, and decided to play along. But he had kissed her... slightly passionately, as if he really meant it. Then maybe he had no idea about it either. Maybe he _liked_ her.

 _That's impossible. Think straight, Kurosaki Karin!_ She told herself firmly. _Toushiro is a Captain. He doesn't... have time for these kinds of things._ A seed of doubt appeared in her mind. _Does he?_ Karin sighed, unsure of herself. It was her first kiss.

Hitsugaya's lips had been surprisingly soft, with a cold touch to them, but it sent happiness running through her entire body. She had never expected to be kissed by the person she liked. It was like a dream come true, like a fairy tale happening with her as a princess and Hitsugaya as her Prince Charming.

Of course, her brother just _had_ to come in at that moment and-

"Hang on. How did you guys even know we were... doing _that_?" Karin asked, puzzled. Everyone froze. The soccer girl glared at them, expecting an answer, and saw Ichigo's eyes flicker to the left. She glanced up, wondering what there was to see, and spotted a small security camera looking down at them.

Her eyes widened. They had been _spied_ on!

"How could you spy on us using that camera?! And why is there even a camera in this god forsaken bathroom anyway?!" Karin spat accusingly, pointing to her brother.

"I-it was their idea! Not mine!" Ichigo raised his hands in an action of innocence, jerking his chin to Rukia and Matsumoto.

"But you still spied on us with them! And I'm pretty sure you're the one who locked us in here the first place! You're probably the one behind the sudden medicine jar on the window as well!" The soccer girl snapped, standing up while carrying Hitsugaya. He was lighter than she thought he was, probably about 30kg.

Ichigo was too dumbfounded to reply.

"Look Karin, it was just meant to be a small setup. Nothing special. It was supposed to be a joke to get you and Taicho closer. We never expected the kissing scene at all," Matsumoto said soothingly, touching her shoulder. Karin shrugged it off, too angry to reply.

"Oh really? Then why were you all so happy about it? Do you have any idea how awkward and embarrassing it was to be locked up in here with him? I thought it was just some sort of prank some idiot pulled off to scare us, and I waited for the door to open again, but it didn't! Instead, I find out that it was just a setup to entertain you all!" She screamed, pressing Hitsugaya's body closer to her as she held him.

"That isn't it Karin-" Rukia began, anxiety on her face.

"Then what is it?! Why did you have to lock us up in here? Do you even understand my feelings for Toushiro?! What I think about him? To me, this is all some stupid thing you guys did to entertain yourselves!" Karin yelled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ichigo opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when Isshin pushed in, his Shinigami clothes on. He took Hitsugaya's body from Karin and grabbed her hand, gazing at her solemnly. "Let's continue this at home, sweetheart. Toushiro needs to get bandaged up again. And definitely not here," he gave his son a pointed look. Karin hugged her father, sobbing.

The world began to spin, just like the time when she was carried by Hitsugaya to the Urahara's Shop. She clutched her father's shirt tightly, not looking anywhere else but the black fabric. The next thing she knew, she reached her house, and was nudged in by Isshin.

Yuzu greeted her with a big smile on her face, but it disappeared when she saw her sister's saddened expression. "Yuzu, bring the first aid kit to Karin's room," Isshin ordered before the yellow-haired girl could ask what had happened. She looked at her father, surprised, but saw Hitsugaya s wounded body lying in his arms.

She nodded, then rushed away. Karin slowly made her way back to her room, legs shaking. Isshin followed her quietly.

The soccer girl entered her room and sat on her bed, biting her lip.

Even though she and Hitsugaya had kissed, it didn't feel right. It didn't feel like it was a naturally occurring event.

Because it was all a setup.

Although Hitsugaya may not have known about it either, Karin felt like they had been used, like entertainers. It was just a setup. Nothing romantic, like a date, or a dinner date and things like that. Perhaps Hitsugaya had merely kissed her because he pitied her. She was a tomboy, and she wasn't very pretty. She preferred doing more boyish things, like sports and gaming; not the girly stuff which Yuzu liked to do. Men didn't really like tomboys. Karin knew that.

That's why, even though she was nearing the age of adulthood, she never had a single boyfriend.

Yes, it was possible Hitsugaya kissed her out of pity. So many girls liked him for his looks. Perhaps he liked Hinamori, and only thought of her as a friend.

But he had said that he preferred being with Karin than with the 5th Division Vice-Captain.

"Karin?" Isshin whispered, snapping Karin out of her train of thoughts. Yuzu had apparently come and gone, and Hitsugaya had been laid down on her bed, bandaged up once more. The soccer girl blinked at her father tiredly, not responding.

"Look sweetheart. I know that you think they set the whole thing up to entertain themselves, but you're wrong. Rangiku and Rukia-chan... They really wanted you and Toushiro to get together. They thought by setting it up, you two could become closer, and eventually date or something, but they never thought that the kissing part would happen. Believe me, they had been extremely shocked when it happened." Isshin comforted, kneeling down in front of his daughter. Karin lowered her head.

"Had I been too... harsh on them?" She mumbled sadly. Isshin shook her head.

"Not really. They would be quite upset, but they would still forgive you. That's the kind of people they are," the Kurosaki father murmured, smiling. Karin looked at him, eyes glistening.

"Do you think... Toushiro and I...?" She asked. Isshin smiled, a bit forlornly.

"I think the two of you would be great together. Toushiro's a good boy, diligent and hard-working. Although he may be a Captain now, and takes rules seriously, he won't ever let anything get in his way if he wants to achieve something. So, if he wants to be with you... It's possible he might resign from his captaincy and go live in the real world just to be by your side," Isshin said softly.

Karin considered the fact. It sounded a little shocking, but it ws also realistic. She knew Hitsugaya was similar to her brother in some aspects.

"Thanks Dad," she sobbed, hugging her father. Isshin patted her back.

"It's alright... Now go get some sleep. I know it's just some time past twelve in the afternoon, but after what happened just now you must be exhausted," He told her. Karin froze, and glanced at her bed. Hitsugata was lying on it, completely knocked out.

"B-but Toushiro..." she stammered, blushing. Isshin snickered.

"You've already touched his body just now, not to mention his _nipple,_ but you're afraid to do it again?" He teased. Karin squeaked, blushing at the embarrassing memory. She bit her lip, wondering what to do.

"C-couldn't I just sleep with Yuzu?" She prostested. Isshin winked.

"What, you don't like touching his body? Hm?" He chuckled. Karin buried her face in her hands, unable to say anything.

"I-it's not that... I..." she whispered.

"Embarrassed? Don't be, Karin. Believe me, I was the same when I first slept with your mother. But you have to overcome this obstacle if you want to sleep with the one you love next time in the future," Isshin advised. Karin nodded, taking a deep breath. She got onto the bed with the ice captain, lying down beside him.

Her father helped pull the covers over them, then winked and kissed her on the forehead, before quietly leaving.

Karin shifted, rolling to her side. She glanced at Hitsugaya's face. He was in a deep sleep no doubt. His mouth was moving slightly though, as if he was saying something. "Ka... rin..." he whispered softly, his expression relaxed. The said soccer girl blushed, moving closer to him. She lay her head down on his shoulder, and as if he was conscious, wrapped his arm around her waist.

Blushing further, Karin snuggled against him, letting out a happy sigh. She looked up at Hitsugaya's face and saw him with a small smile, a faint rose pink colouring his cheeks.

 _So cute..._ she thought, and giggled. Leaning up, she pecked him on the cheek, before settling back down again in his arms.

 _I guess I really do like him..._ Karin realised as she closed her eyes, smiling. _Thank you Toushiro, for helping me realise the meaning of 'love'..._

* * *

 _A/N Soooooooo... Hehehehe... Well there you have it guys! :) Kiss! :D The next chapter will be about school again. Rin appears! And things will get bitchy. ;) Thanks guys!_

 ** _Reviews will help me work faster, so do review! :)_**


	17. FT COH: 16

_A/N Hello everyone! I'm back! :) I'm glad you all liked the kissing scene! :) So, to start off, I'm gonna do an omake about what the Shinigami gang were doing while our little couple was trapped in the bathroom! :)_

 **Omake:**

 **Beginning:** **Urahara set up a computer and connected to the security camera in the bathroom. Matsumoto and Rukia were waiting eagerly for some steamy action. Ichigo was absolutely pissed. Isshin and Kazuko looked dismayed, but curious. Hirako was trying to mind his own business. Byakuya had a poker face. Renji looked mildly interested. Hinamori was silent. Urahara had gone who knows where and Yoruichi was snacking on milk.**

 **Part where Karin sits on Hitsugaya's lap and puts medicine on him:** **Matsumoto asks where the medicine came from, and Urahara reveals that he put it there. Matsumoto was mischievous and asked slyly if he was sure it wasn't something to raise Hitsugaya's sexual desires. Ichigo rages, and Rukia smacks him. They continue to watch, anticipating. Then Karin touches Hitsugaya's nipple by accident, and Matsumoto and Rukia celebrates. Ichigo got even more mad.**

 **Part where Hitsugaya slips and falls against Karin:** **Matsumoto and Rukia began squealing, Ichigo was extremely mad, while the others were shocked. Hinamori was still quiet, and Byakuya minds his on business. Matsumoto began begging for a kissing scene, seeing how close the two were. Ichigo snapped saying that it wouldn't happen.**

 **Part where Hitsugaya kisses Karin:** **Everyone was stunned to silence. Then Ichigo got mad, and like as if all hell broke loose, he stormed towards the bathroom before anyone could stop him.**

 _So that's it guys! :) Now to continue with the story! :) Happy reading!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Karin awoke to the sound of Yuzu calling for her. She blinked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Yawning, the soccer girl stretched, then heard a soft groan beside her. She paused, turning her head to see what made the noise. The sight of Hitsugaya lying on her bed, still unconscious, freaked her out.

"What the...?" She whispered, turning a mad rose red shade. Karin looked down at her hands, not believing that she had just slept with the one man she liked. Sliding off the bed slowly so as to not wake the slumbering ice captain, she opened her closet to get ready for school.

Karin glanced back at the bed, in case Hitsugaya woke up. The captain showed no signs of awakening. Quickly, she got dressed, and grabbed her bag. Looking back as she was about to close the door, she smiled, watching Hitsugaya still sleep.

 _He's so cute..._

The soccer girl hurriedly ate her breakfast and rushed out after Yuzu, waving goodbye to Isshin in the process. It was a new day of school, but somehow, Karin had a feeling that something bad was going to happen today. It was a gut feeling, like something was churning in her stomach right now.

"Neh neh, Karin-chan!" Yuzu said, smiling at her sister. Karin glanced at the blonde girl, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"What is it?" She asked, swinging her back.

"Yesterday... Did you sleep with Toushiro-kun?"

"E-eh?!" Karin spluttered, her cheeks turning bright rose red. Did Yuzu overhear her conversation with Isshin?!

"Well, Otou-san came out of your room looking pretty happy, and I realised that Toushiro-kun's body wasn't with him anymore... So I guessed Otou-san left him there. And he didn't bring up an extra bed," Yuzu replied thoughtfully, pouting. Karin gave her sister a wane smile, her sweat dropping.

"No no... I just... slept on the floor! Yeah, I slept on the floor... Since Toushiro was injured and everything," she quickly lied, giving a short laugh. Yuzu frowned, but said nothing in response.

Eventually, the twin sisters reached the school just as the bell rang. They rushed off to their classrooms, reporting to their respective classes after a quick farewell. Karin entered her class... and was surprised to see Rukia in front of her. "Ah! Rukia-chan! Sorry about yesterday. I was a little... Harsh on you I guess,"

The petite Shinigami blinked, then her expression turned serious, a nervous air around her. "Never mind about that Karin!" She hissed, glancing around. "I have to tell you something,"

Karin narrowed her eyes at Rukia, puzzled. "What is it?"

"Hinamori Fuku-Taicho... She's-"

"Kuchiki-san! What are you doing over there?" Came a loud, cheerful voice. Karin glanced up and saw Hinamori, a big smile on her face. Rukia paled and gulped, giving Karin a sideway glance.

"I'll talk to you later," she hissed, then went away, a smile plastered on his face. Karin watched her go, feeling absolutely confused. What about Hinamori? She shrugged, deciding not to lament on it any further, and went to her seat.

"Aahh~ Toushiro-kun isn't here today as well~ Just what happened to him?" Rin sighed, tapping her chin thoughtfully with a finger. Her gaze slid over to Karin, and she smirked. "Perhaps _you_ know what happened to him, Kurosaki?" The vain girl sneered, strutting to her table and sitting on it. She leaned towards Karin, a smug look on her face.

"He's sick," Karin said flatly, thinking of a good excuse to cover up for Hitsugaya's absence.

"Oh really? How can he be sick for nearly an entire week?" Rin scoffed. Her cronies, Akami and Lina snickered. Karin scowled.

"It's pretty severe. And if you would mind, please get off my table. Sensei might come in at any minute," she snapped, pointing to the door. As if the soccer girl's words had summoned her, Hanabi entered the classroom, striding in purposefully. Rin quickly scuttled to her seat, glowering at Karin from there as she did so.

Hanabi did a quick scan of the classroom, and narrowed her eyes when her gaze landed on the empty desk beside Karin. "Hitsugaya-san has still not returned to school? Does anyone know what happened to him?" The concerned teacher asked, looking pointedly at Karin.

"Toushiro's got a high fever and a pretty severe case of stomach flu. He's terribly ill," Karin quickly lied, glancing towards Rukia and Hinamori. The two nodded, though the 5th Division Vice-Captain still had a strange smile on her face.

"I see... I hope he gets well soon. But enough of that! I will be marking attendance. Those whose names I call out, please say 'present!', alright?" Hanabi instructed, and opened up the attendance file.

Karin called out when her name was announced, raising her hand. As the list carried on, her mind wandered to Hitsugaya, who was probably still asleep. _Is he okay? Is he having nightmares?_ Then Karin realised that during the moment when she slept with the ice captain, he never had a single instance where a nightmare woke him up. She smiled, staring out the window. Perhaps he enjoyed her company. Though Karin would never know that.

One could not read another person's mind after all.

* * *

Lunch came, the bell ringing and signalling for class dismissal. Just as Karin was packing her things and getting ready to head out, she was approached by both Hinamori and Rin. Rukia was behind them, her face pale and panic-stricken. Karin wondered what was going on.

"Yes?" She questioned, glancing to and fro the two girls. They glanced at each other, and a smirk spread across their faces.

"Neh, Karin- _san,_ " Hinamori began, cocking her head. She took a step forward, and Karin found herself instinctively moving back. She narrowed her eyes, confused. The class was entirely empty now, and the only people left were the three of them, as well as Rukia, who was watching anxiously from the sidelines.

"Yesterday... You slept with Shiro-chan right? On the same bed?" The 5th Division Vice-Captain raised an eyebrow, a superior look on her face. Karin froze, her eyes widening.

"W-what are you talking about? I certainly did not do that," she protested, trying to defend herself. How did Hinamori _know_?

"Oh really? Then what about the _kissing_ session?" Rin sneered, her eyes glittering malevolently. Karin was backed up against a wall, cornered by the two girls. The soccer girl was speechless. Even _Rin_ knew about that?!

"I-I don't understand what you mean," she stammered, her face heating up. Hinamori slammed her palm onto the wall next to Karin's head, chuckling.

"Then perhaps a little... _evidence_ will help you remember?" Hinamori whispered into her ear, and from her pocket withdrew a small stack of photos. The vice-captain took out the photos, and showed them one by one, all the while smirking like she had won a prestigious award.

Karin couldn't believe what she was seeing. The photos all showed her and Hitsugaya during the time in the bathroom.

Her touching the ice captain's body, and his face flushed and sweaty.

Accidentally touching his nipple too, and the look of shock and embarrassment on his expression.

Then the moment when he slipped, and apparently Karin had grabbed a hold of his yukata.

Another picture of when they were on the ground, and Hitsugaya was staring at her.

Then finally the kissing scene, where Karin's hands were on his chest.

Another set of photos was produced, lesser than the ones from the bathroom incident, but just as mortifying. It was the moment when Karin and Hitsugaya were on the bed together.

There was one where Karin was just sleeping peacefully, Hitsugaya's arm around her waist.

Then another, this time showing her hands on his chest.

Several other pictures were shown, all of them even more intimate than each other. Karin felt her face heating up even more, her eyes wide in disbelief. It wasn't just the content in the pictures that was astonishing. It was the fact that, in every single one of those photos, Karin seemed like she was... _sexually abusing_ Hitsugaya. Even in her sleep.

"How did you...?" Her voice trailed off, unable to form the words she wanted. Both Hinamori and Rin giggled as the vice-captain kept the photos away.

"Oh we have our ways. Now, you surely wouldn't want these photos to be released to the public, don't you?" Rin mocked, leaning towards Karin. The soccer girl shook her head numbly, speechless. "You wouldn't want the whole world to think that you're a perverted slut isn't that right? Seducing a poor man like Toushiro-kun with your lips, your body, and especially these _breasts_ of yours," The vain girl went on, and a hand went to Karin's bosom, fondling it.

Karin gasped, flushing. She forced herself not to tremble as she shook her head again, trying to endure Rin's torture to her chest.

"That's good. But oh, we really do want to show these pictures to everyone. I'm afraid we can't respect your wishes," Hinamori said, her tone one of fake sympathy. "What should we do?"

"I-I'll do everything you want," Karin stuttered, breathing hard. Rin's fondling was getting harder and more painful. "Just... p-please, don't tell anyone. Please. I beg you," she gulped, unsure of her decision. It felt like she was being _blackmailed_. Hinamori smiled, and Rin stopped, though her hand was not removed.

" _Anything_ we want?" The vice-captain questioned, smirking. Karin nodded, biting her lip.

"Alright then," Hinamori said, satisfied. "You'll have to do whatever we tell you to do for the next one month, and perhaps I'll consider not showing this to the public," she smirked again, and Rin finally let go.

"Are you up for the task?" Rin taunted, putting a hand on her hip. Karin's lips trembled, and she pursed them together.

"I-I'll do whatever you say," she mumbled, lowering her head. Hinamori laughed.

"That's good. Well then, we'll tell you what we want you to do tomorrow," she sneered. Her brown eyes glinted with malice. "And you had better not complain about it," she whsipered, and she flicked a finger at Karin's bosom, causing the soccer girl to flinch. Hinamori waved the stack of photos in front of her face, smirking. "Because these photos are on the line. Remember that," she laughed.

The two girls turned on their heels and went away, leaving Karin at the corner, alone. She sank to her knees, her hands going up to her chest where Rin and Hinamori had touched them, tears in her eyes.

How had this happened?

 _How_?!

Was it because of the bathroom incident? If it had never happened, the kissing scene wouldn't have occurred, and Karin would never have slept with Hitsugaya in the first place!

She sobbed, lowering her head.

If those photos ever got out, her reputation would be ruined. Her friends would abandon her, the teachers would probably hate her, and none of the boys would ever approach her again. It was the worst thing that could have ever happened to her in her entire lifetime, apart from her mother's death.

Then it occurred to her that that was probably what Rukia had tried to warn her about. The blackmailing.

She looked up tearfully at the petite Shinigami who was still standing there, a look of guilt on her face. "I'm sorry," Rukia whispered, shaking her head. "Hinamori Fuku-Taicho threatened me not to tell. She... She's been planning on doing something like this to you for ages,"

"Why?" Karin whispered. "Why me?"

"Maybe it's because you and Hitsugaya Taicho seem like you're in a relationship. Hinamori Fuku-Taicho was probably envious about that, and wanted revenge." Rukia said, looking away. "And Tadashi Rin likes Hitsugaya Taicho, so it's no surprise that she would join Hinamori Fuku-Taicho," the raven-haired woman added.

Karin sobbed again. Why was it always her who got the worst luck? Every time something good happens, a bad thing occurs right away. Why couldn't she just enjoy her time in school, and with Hitsugaya?

What was wrong with loving him?

* * *

 _A/N Yes... Poor Karin. Really. She's been through a lot in the anime, and now I feel bad for doing this to her. :( I am a very horrible writer to the characters. Even Hitsugaya will be going through things like this, perhaps worse... So yeah. Blackmailed by Hinamori and Rin. Did you guys expect that? No? Yes? What do you think? Do give me your opinions... I hope you liked this chapter though! And yes, just to let you guys know, Rin is actually into **yuri**. That's why she did what she did. But she definitely isn't gay. :/ Why would she if she likes Hitsugaya? Anyway, I'll see you guys in the next chapter! That's when things get more intense! Thanks guys!_

 ** _Reviews help me work faster, so please review, give me your opinions on this story, and help me improve! Thanks everyone! :)_**


	18. FT COH: 17

_A/N Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter! In the previous chapter, Karin gets blackmailed! :0 Oh no! Just what is she supposed to do...? But let's leave that for another chapter! This time, Hitsugaya appears again! Happy reading! :)_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all.**_

* * *

Karin slowly trudged back home alone. Yuzu had to stay back to help out in some class projects, so she was coming home a bit later.

The soccer girl left the school premises, head low and deep in thought. She could still feel Rin's hand on her breast, fondling them. She shuddered, wrapping an arm around herself. She doubted she would ever forget the feeling.

 _But what do they want from me? Why can't I just love Toushiro, even though he might not like me back? Is it wrong to be in love with him?_ Karin wondered, biting her lip. It was true though. She doubted Hitsugaya even liked her, and only thought of her as a friend. A pitiful friend to be in fact. He knew that she was a tomboy, and that was why she had never been in a relationship before.

That was probably why he kissed her, and also why he let her touch his body.

Karin sighed, feeling depressed. She had a bad feeling about the deal she made with Hinamori. _I shouldn't tell Toushiro about this... He'll probably ask her why she was doing this. And she'll end up exposing this to public._

She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. Damn that Hinamori! Karin couldn't stand her. She was overpossessive, for one thing. She was also _evil._ Evil to the rotten core. How could someone as perfect as Hitsugaya see her as a _sister_?

Hinamori didn't _deserve_ him!

 _But I don't deserve him too_ , Karin thought sadly. Her shoulders slumped. _I'm just an ugly tomboy. I do things which most girls don't do, and not to mention, I hang out with other boys. Yuzu won't understand how I feel... She was always pestering me to be more like a girl anyway._ Feeling dejected, Karin kicked at the ground absently.

 _Toushiro probably likes girls who are sweet, cute and pretty. That's pretty much how Hinamori looks, despite her inner evil. He probably thinks of her as_ more _than a sister. She knows more about him than I do too. They did grow up together after all._

 _It's hopeless. I should never have let myself fall for him-_

Then Karin bumped into someone. "Ah, I'm sorry... I wasn't looking-" she stopped abruptly when she saw who it was that she bumped into.

It was Hitsugaya.

"Oh Karin. I was waiting for you," he said, giving her a small affectionate smile. Karin found herself blushing, and she looked away.

"W-what are you doing here? A-are you even healed enough to be walking around?" She stammered, glancing at him. Hitsugaya scratched the back of his head, tucking a hand into his pocket.

"I suppose. I'm feeling much better than usual. Though I have to ask, why was I in your room when I woke up?" He asked, a puzzled look on his face. Karin's face heated up considerably, and she pursed her lips. She looked away again, unable to speak.

Hitsugaya noted her hesitant silence. "Are you telling me that... we _slept_ together? On the _same_ bed?!" He gasped, teal eyes widening. Karin couldn't reply. It felt like she had just lost her voice. "Please tell me Karin. I-I need to know," the ice captain stuttered, a furious blush dusting his cheeks the colour of rose red.

The soccer girl paused, then reluctantly nodded. _This is it. Toushiro will hate me now._ She could nearly imagine him growling at her, calling her a slut like Rin had. It hurt her to think that he would call her a slut.

But instead, Hitsugaya pressed his lips together, his eyes darting away. "I-I see... That's..." his voice trailed off, and he turned away for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he turned back, his teal eyes glowing with a strange emotion. "Could we... you know..." He tilted his head away, looking embarrassed. Karin blinked at him, stunned. It wasn't everyday she saw Hitsugaya so nervous.

He was fidgeting a lot, his feet shifting here and there.

"Could we continue sleeping together...?" He burst out in one breath, clenching his fists. He lowered his head, biting his lip. Karin thought he looked adorable.

But what he had just said attracted her attention more.

"What?!" She gasped, eyes round with astonishment. Hitsugaya pursed his lips, looking to the ground.

"I just wondered if... if we could sleep together today as well... I mean... It's not that... I just feel..." He spluttered, babbling around. Karin was shocked. It was probably the first time she had been _so_ bewildered, she couldn't speak, let alone think.

"W-why would you want to sleep with me? I mean-" she stuttered, unable to get the words out. Hitsugaya's face fell.

"Oh. So you don't want me to sleep with you... I guess I should've seen it coming..." he muttered quietly under his breath. Karin perked up.

"I-it's not that! I was just wondering- I mean... _Why_ do you want to sleep with me? It's the strangest thing I've ever heard in my life, to be honest..." she grew silent, thinking of all the possible reasons. But the easiest answer she could think of which Hitsugaya might say was, "No reason,"

Instead, his face flushed, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "H-how should I put this... I've... been having nightmares recently, but last night I didn't, so I thought... Perhaps if I slept with you..." his voice trailed off. Karin blinked, shocked beyond words.

"You didn't have nightmares last night?" She whispered. The ice captain nodded, scuffing his feet on the ground.

"When I slept with you, that is... I-I'm not using you or anything, just to tell you. It's... It's quite conplicated actually. How should I say this..." He bit his lower lip, eyes darting to the ground. "I felt... safe and comforted when I was sleeping with you. It... It was warm..." he murmured softly, lifting his head to gaze at Karin.

Karin inhaled sharply, not believing his words.

 _He likes me,_ a small voice whispered in her head. She shoved the thought away quickly. Nonsense. She had to control her emotions. She couldn't let herself fall for him even more.

"I... I guess I _could_ let you sleep with me again..." she said, giving him a small smile. Hitsugaya looked relieved.

"Thanks... Now, do you want to go for a walk with me? I'll help you carry your bag," he asked, reaching for her bag. Karin frowned, yanking her hand away.

"I can carry my bag myself, thank you very much." Then she smiled brightly, a blush on her cheeks. "Though I guess I can go along with the walk," Hitsugaya scoffed, smirking.

"I was trying to be a gentleman. But come on then, let's go," he said, and took her hand. He intertwined their fingers and pulled her along. Karin blinked.

 _Hitsugaya was holding her hand._

"W-what are you doing?" She stuttered, blushing furiously. The ice captain glanced back at her, an amused look on his face.

"What do you _think_ I'm doing?" He asked back, smirking. Karin paused, then smiled, embarrassed.

"Taking me with you for a walk," she answered, giggling. Hitsugaya's eyes softened, a smile gracing his lips. He suddenly reached out for her bag and plucked it out of her grip, shocking her.

"Hey!" Karin burst out, stunned. Hitsugaya smirked, swinging the bag in the air. She tried to grab it back, but the ice captain raised it far out of her reach.

"I'll give it back once we return to your house," he promised, which made Karin pout and let out a huff. But she relented anyways.

"So where are we going?" She asked, gazing up at Hitsugaya. He was at least a head taller than her, now that she realised it. The ice captain shrugged.

"Maybe a walk near the river. It's just to relax, really." He replied, and his grip on her hand tightened. Karin felt his thumb rub circles on her skin, and blushed, but kept quiet.

They continued to walk in silence, both not knowing what to say to each other. Then Hitsugaya spoke.

"Say, Karin. What... what type of boys do you like?" He asked softly, without looking at her. Karin's eyes widened, bewildered.

"Why would you ask me that?" She asked suspiciously. Hitsugaya shrugged, scratching his cheek. A faint blush was visible there.

"I was just... wondering," he mumbled, looking away. Karin found it a little strange, but decided to answer it anyway.

"Well... I like boys who are tough. Like me, really. A rather short temper, and can really pack a killing punch when he's mad." She began. Hitsugaya frowned in response, but said nothing.

"Then he also has to be kind. Caring and helpful, and is loyal to me no matter what. Of course, I would be loyal to him too..." she went on. The ice captain blinked, still silent.

"Not only that, he has to be good-looking. _Really_ good-looking, at least until nearly the entire female population in town wants him." She giggled. Hitsugaya found himself smiling at that.

"Oh yeah! He has to have a few similar interests like me too. Perhaps liking soccer. And I guess he has to be really smart as well, since I'm pretty dumb... Like Ichi-nii," she said. Hitsugaya scoffed, still smiling that small smile of his.

"He has to be unique, and special. Outstanding even, like a... a prodigy," Her smile disappeared, replaced by a crestfallen look. "There is one person whom I know who is exactly like all that I said. But... I don't think he likes me, even though I'm pretty sure I like him," she sighed.

"What do you mean?" Hitsugaya asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. Karin's shoulders slumped.

"I... I think he likes someone else. He probably only sees me as a friend," she answered. Hitsugaya still seemed puzzled.

"Who is he?" He asked. Karin shook her head, saying nothing. _It's you, you big lump. I admit it, I_ do _like you. And I've probably just cursed myself into a loveless life, since I'm pretty sure you're in love with Hinamori,_ she thought.

"Come on Karin. Tell me. Please?" He asked, his expression turning into one of frustration and confusion. Karin still shook her head adamantly.

"What is it to you anyway? It's not like you would understand," she scowled. Hitsugaya's grip on her hand tightened even further, squeezing painfully.

"Actually, I do understand." He whispered quietly. Karin blinked, and waited for him to continue. But he kept silent, just looking at the ground.

"What do you mean Toushiro?" She finally asked, worried.

"I said, I understand how you feel. About this... thing." He waved a hand in the air, his expression unreadable. "To be honest, I like someone too. She's... really special to me. She's outgoing, confident, pretty and cute too sometimes. She also has a kind and caring heart, and... and she reminds me of someone." He faltered, biting his lip.

"Someone I used to-" he stopped abruptly, even halting in his tracks. Karin blinked, and saw him looking around, his face paling. She took a look at their surroundings, and realised that they were close to the river.

"What is it?" She asked, anxious. Was it another Unknown? Was there one lurking around nearby?

Hitsugaya opened his mouth, but then closed it again, and his gaze settled on a bungalow sitting some distance away from the bridge built over the river. It was a pretty big house, complete with a small backyard, flower patch and gate. But the house looked abandoned; the paint peeling off, the flowers wilted, and the grass growing wild. Hanging on the door of the house was a sign labelled ' **SALE** ', old, faded and lopsided as a breeze blew past, causing it to swing gently.

It was the last building in a row of other bungalows, and it was the only one that looked like a haunted house.

"It can't be..." Hitsugaya whispered, and Karin could hear his breath hitching in his throat.

"What? What's wrong Toushiro?" She asked, panicking. He didn't reply. Instead, he let go of her hand, much to her disappointment, and walked over to the house. Karin chased after him.

"Toushiro, what are you doing? Toushiro!" She said as he pushed open the gates, which were unlocked for some reason. He neared the front door, and his footsteps faltered, hesitantly shuffling forward.

Karin grabbed his arm. "Toushiro, stop! Someone will see us! This is breaking and entering, even though the house is on sale!" She hissed angrily at him. Hitsugaya seemed not to hear her. He pulled his arm away, a hand closing over the doorknob.

"Please don't... It can't be the same... Please don't let it be the same..." he whispered under his breath, a terrified and fearful look on his face. He slowly twisted the knob, and the door opened with a rusty creak.

Hitsugaya stepped in quietly, and Karin followed him, her curiosity piqued. What did he mean by 'the same'?

She looked around the house, seeing nothing but old, dusty walls and strangely, packed furniture, left untouched for what seemed like centuries. It seemed like an ordinary house to her. Perhaps the house owners had decided to sell their house and went away somewhere else, leaving all their stuff behind.

Perhaps they wanted to start life anew, and left their old memories so as to achieve that.

She looked at the boxes scattered across the floor, neatly packed and taped. Dust had gathered on the top, with cobwebs hanging from them. There was also an old, musty smell hanging around the house, and Karin wrinkled her nose in disgust.

But then she saw something else.

Large, red stains were splattered all over the wooden floor, which was now moldy and creaky. There were stains all over the walls as well.

Karin glanced over to Hitsugaya, who was standing rooted to the spot, looking as if he had just seen a ghost. Her bag slid out of his grasp and thumped onto the ground loudly, a resounding sound in the eerie silence.

"Toushiro...?" She whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't reply, and instead fell to his knees, looking at the boxes with his teal eyes glazed and wide. Placing two fingers to the ground, he swiped off the dust, and some of the red stains, which crumbled at his touch.

He looked at his fingers, his hands trembling. Karin squinted at the reddish dirt on his fingers.

And realised what it was.

Blood.

 _Dried_ blood.

It looked like it was at least centuries of years old. Hitsugaya stared at it for a while longer, before raising his blank gaze back to the boxes. His breathing soon became ragged.

"Karin..." he whispered hoarsely. "Karin...!" The said girl crouched beside him, an anxious look on her face.

"What is it?" She asked softly. Hitsugaya gulped, then pointed a shaky finger to the nearest box.

"Open that for me. Please," he said, eyes wide. Karin nodded, though found it strange. Why would he want to look through the things of other people?

Karin blew off the dust and peeled off the tape, which was worn and no longer sticky enough to seal up the box. She opened it up, then glanced towards the frozen ice captain questioningly.

"Pass... Pass me the first thing you get your hands on," he said, his whole body shaking. Karin nodded, then reached into the box. Her fingers closed around a medium-sized, rectangular object, and she took it out.

It turned out to be a photo frame.

Karin couldn't see what was on the picture as it was too dark, so she gave it to Hitsugaya, who took it with trembling hands.

He took a single glance at it, then his entire body became rigid, his teal eyes widening till his pupils only became small circles. His hands began shaking violently, and the photo frame fell out of them, landing on the floor on its front.

Hitsugaya took in only a single small breath, before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed onto the ground, limp.

* * *

Ichigo was pacing around in the living room, wondering where both Karin and Hitsugaya were. That blasted ice captain had apparently left the house before he had returned from work.

The strawberry scowled, crossing his arms. Even Yuzu had already returned home. It had already been two hours since Karin was supposedly dismissed from school, yet she had not returned.

 _Is Toushiro with her? I bet he is. Probably doing some dirty things to her..._ Ichigo grumbled inwardly. Then there was a sudden bang of the front door being slammed opened.

"OYAJI?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Came Karin's voice, though it was strangely tight with panic. Ichigo watched as Karin crashed into the living room, then immediately stopped in her tracks when she saw her brother.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "Why are you carrying Toushiro, Karin?" He asked suspiciously. The ice captain was on Karin's back, unconscious.

"Where's Oyaji?" Karin snapped, rushing past Ichigo and laying Hitsugaya's body on the sofa, putting a pillow under his head. Ichigo shrugged, eyeing the limp ice captain's body with suspicion.

The soccer girl hissed. "Fine then. Come with me Ichi-nii, I need to show you something," she grabbed Ichigo's arm and dragged him along.

"You haven't told me what you were doing with Toushiro," the Substitute snapped, yanking his arm back. Karin looked frustrated.

"I'LL TELL YOU LATER. THIS IS IMPORTANT. COME ON!" She yelled, and wrenched Ichigo forward as she ran along the streets. Ichigo sighed, and let his sister pull him.

Five minutes later, they reached an old, rundown house. Ichigo stared at it quizzically, wondering what was so important about an ancient-looking house.

Karin dragged him to the door, and pushed it open. Ichigo found himself staring at a dusty, abandoned living room, with furniture and boxes scattered around. One of the boxes was open though.

"What's this?" He asked. Karin looked slightly worried.

"I bumped into Toushiro when I was going home, and he took me for a walk near the river. But then, while we were talking, he suddenly stopped and came to this house. We went inside, even though I told him not to," she said, looking at the ground.

"You went for a WALK?" Ichigo said, bewildered. Karin glared at him.

"Is there a problen with that? Anyway, he seemed pretty haunted when he saw this house, and asked me to open that box," She pointed to the open box lying at near their feet. Ichigo narrowed his eyes.

"For what reason?" He asked. Karin bent down suddenly and picked up a photo frame which had been lying at their feet.

"This. Look at this," she said quietly, her gaze severe and serious. Ichigo took the picture, sniffing. What was so important about a photo? It wasn't like-

His eyes grew wide as he saw the contents of the photo.

It was a picture of a family of five. There was a man and a woman at the back, with three children in front of them. The woman had particularly beautiful turquoise eyes and sleek black hair. The man had dark blue hair and friendly brown eyes.

The three children consisted of two girls and one boy. The boy was the one in the middle, with the man and woman putting a hand on each of his shoulders. Beside him were the two girls, who looked younger than him. They also appeared to be twins, as they looked almost the same, with dark blue hair and yellow eyes.

But the boy was the one who caught Ichigo's attention the most. He had a hand on the two girls' shoulders, and was smiling softly, though his own shoulders were tense with an overprotectiveness aura around him.

His hair was spiky, short, and silvery-white.

His eyes were a vibrant teal colour.

Ichigo couldn't believe what he was seeing.

There was no doubt about it. He was certain that no one else in the entire world had such distinctive features.

The boy in the picture, in a family of five, was definitely none other than Hitsugaya Toushiro himself.

* * *

 _A/N That's it guys! I bet you didn't expect that huh? ;) Hehehe! So, in the next chapter, Hinamori and Rin are on the move! What have they in store for Karin? How did Hitsugaya know about the house? Will he finally reveal the truth about his nightmares? Find out soon enough! :) Thanks guys!_

 _ **Reviews make me work faster, so please review and tell me what you think about this story! :)**_


	19. FT COH: 18

_A/N So hey guys! I'm back! :) I have received some very helpful reviews from all of you, and I am going to put those tips into good use! :) Thank you everyone, for your kind support! Now, back to the story. In the previous chapter, Karin and Hitsugaya go for a walk! Then our ice prince sensed something amiss and headed for a house! It turns out, that house was linked to him! What could it mean? In this chapter, the Shinigami try to figure out about the astonishing discovery! Hinamori and Rin will make their move on our poor Karin, who is afraid of doing something wrong which will expose the fact that she and Hitsugaya were in a rather intimate relationship. Let's look at what's in store! Happy reading! :)_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

There was a Shinigami meeting right after Ichigo and Karin came back and told Isshin about their findings. It was held at the Kurosaki residence, and was now quite crowded. Karin had brought Hitsugaya's limp body up to her room and was taking care of him there, which caused Hinamori to scowl.

That girl kept getting in the way of everything.

Hinamori knew that she was the one destined to be with Hitsugaya. They had always been together, after all. Ever since she found him alone and wandering in the West Rukongai 1st District, Junrinan. She had befriended him and asked Granny to raise him, because she found him cute and rather unique-looking, with his silver-white hair and large teal eyes.

They grew up together, played with each other... She even spent more time with him than with her other friends. And even when she went off to attend the Spiritual Arts Academy to become a Shinigami, she still visited.

Hitsugaya was more than a friend or brother to her.

He was her future husband. She _knew_ it.

But then Karin had to come in and ruin it all. Hinamori had seen the looks Hitsugaya gave that girl.

Admiration. Concern. Care. _Affection_. Like as if he _liked_ her.

Karin was just a conniving little seductress. Hinamori knew Hitsugaya liked girls who were like herself. Kind, caring, pretty, cute and innocent. He definitely did _not_ like tomboys who acted rash and were relatively hideous.

 _At least, that's what I think. But I must be right. Shiro-chan and I go way, way back together. That bitch barely even knows a thing about him_ , the 5th Division Vice-Captain thought. _But I'll be able to get my revenge tomorrow..._

 _Tomorrow, I will torture her._

"So, what's the urgency Shiba Taicho?" Matsumoto asked, clueless. The other Shinigami, which consisted of Hinamori herself, Kazuko, Hirako, Renji, Byakuya and Rukia were gathered around the small dining table, looking at the two Kurosaki males.

Isshin nodded to Ichigo, and the Substitute slowly presented a photo frame from behind his back. "Toushiro and Karin found this at an old house. It's got something to do with Toushiro's past, I think, cause he fainted when he saw the picture, according to Karin." He said, placing the frame on the table.

Everyone crowded around to look.

Hinamori's eyes grew wide as she studied the faded photo. "That... That boy... It can't be Shiro-chan, can it?!" She gasped, alarmed. The Shinigami were shocked. Even Byakuya's eyes had grown slightly wider.

"How can this be?" Renji gaped, picking up the photo.

"This has to be from Hitsugaya Taicho's past life..." Kazuko whispered, a haunted look on his face.

"But it can't be! How did Shiro-chan even find this? Once a soul passes over to Soul Society, they forget _everything_ about their past lives, and only know their names and the fact that they are dead!" Hinamori burst out, horrified.

"Perhaps it is the same when Hitsugaya Taicho keeps finding the Unknowns. He senses something and gets attracted to it," Rukia suggested.

"Then the Unknowns are related to Hitsugaya Taicho's past?" Hirako said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a possibility," Isshin muttered, scratching his chin.

A silence fell as the Shinigami pondered. How was it even possible?

"Perhaps... Hitsugaya Taicho is regaining his memories about his past life," Byakuya spoke up suddenly, breaking the tense silence.

"But that can't be. Something like that has never happened before," Hirako said, frowning.

"Why not we just ask Toushiro about it?" Ichigo suggested, getting up from his seat.

"Will Hitsugaya Taicho even tell us? He isn't the type who spills secrets easily, you know?" Rukia countered.

"We can interrogate him, right? Just because he's a captain doesn't mean he can escape from being asked questions," Ichigo shot back.

"Hitsugaya Taicho is one of the most stubborn captains in the Gotei 13. He definitely won't tell _you_ anything, you ignorant strawberry," the petite Shinigami snapped.

"What did you just call me, midget?" The Substitute scowled.

Before Rukia could reply, Isshin cut in. "Go get a room if you want to have affectionate name-calling arguments," he snickered. Ichigo punched him in the face.

* * *

Karin sat on her bed, seated beside Hitsugaya's limp body. He was expressionless, his breathing regular and steady. She found the sound of his breathing rather comforting in the quiet room.

Karin leaned against the wall, thinking. An image of the picture which had the ice captain in it flashed through her mind. Who were those other people with him?

 _His family perhaps? Maybe they were from his past life,_ she thought. She remembered the blood stains that were still visible on the floors and walls of the house. They had been slightly washed out, as if someone had attempted to scrub the blood off. But the stains still stayed, as a reminder... Of what?

Had a murder taken place there?

Perhaps... _that_ was when Hitsugaya died?

A groan startled her out of her train of thoughts, and Karin glanced down to see the ice captain's eyelids fluttering.

He was waking up.

"Toushiro?" she whispered softly, touching his shoulder. The ice captain groaned again, shifting on the bed. His eyes finally opened, seemingly heavy and tired.

"Kaa... chan...?" He croaked. Karin blinked, moving away a little. "Kaa-chan... Where am I...?" Hitsugaya continued to moan, squeezing his eyes shut again.

"Toushiro... I... I'm not your mother," Karin said quietly, loud enough for him to hear. His eyes flew back open, stunned, and he bolted upright, looking at her.

Hitsugaya's teal orbs were glazed, meaning that he was yet to think clearly.

"What do you mean...? Of course you're my mother..." he squinted at her, and rubbed his eyes. "Aren't you?" He looked at her again, and Karin saw the weariness in his eyes disappear slowly.

Hitsugaya blinked, and looked her up and down. "Oh," he murmured. " _Oh_ ,"

The ice captain bit his lip, lowering his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. Karin put a hand on his shoulder as he buried his face in his hands. "I'm sorry... I thought... I thought you were..." he said, his voice trembling.

"It's okay. You were just confused, that's all," Karin murmured softly. Hitsugaya suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, and buried his face in her shoulder, pulling her close. She gasped, feeling one of his hands move up her spine.

"I really thought you were my mother," he whispered. "I thought that, perhaps she wasn't dead. Perhaps she was still with me, and taking care of me like she used to," His voice cracked. "But it all just turned out to be false hope. A dream,"

Karin felt hopeless. She didn't know what to do. So she just patted his back, and brought him closer to her. She felt her chest press against his, and blushed, but didn't care.

Hitsugaya calmed down after a while, then wrapped his arms around her further, moving his face to her neck. His cool breath tickled her collarbone, and she blushed harder. "... You're warm," he mumbled quietly. Karin inhaled sharply as he pressed his lips to her collarbone, leaving light kisses on her skin. He trailed up, up, till his nose was buried in her hair, his lips behind her ear. "... Your hair smells nice too," he whispered into her ear, breathing deeply.

The ice captain pushed her closer to his body, and a hand slipped under her shirt. Karin gasped again, shivering as his fingers drew circles on her stomach. "Your skin is so soft," Hitsugaya murmured, his lips moving to the back of her neck.

Then he paused, and his hand slowly crept up her stomach, tickling her. She trembled again, drawing in a sharp breath as he poked at her bra, pulling it up slightly. His fingers brushed the small, exposed surface of her breast, and Karin felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. "So soft..." he mumbled again, his voice becoming more slurred.

Hitsugaya pulled his hand away, removing it from under her shirt, and wrapped it back around her waist. "Just like Kaa-chan..." he whispered.

"T-Toushiro...?" She dared to say, finally finding her voice.

"Mm...?" The ice captain lifted his head a little, and Karin found teal eyes blinking at her, exhausted and wistful. They gleamed, a hidden meaning behind those beautiful orbs.

"W-what are you doing?" She gasped, shuddering as Hitsugaya trailed his fingers up and down her spine, causing her to arch her back.

"Let me stay like this for a while longer," he mumbled softly, burying his face back in her neck. "Please," Karin hesitated, than tried to relax, putting her arms around his back.

They stayed that way in silence for a few more moments. Hitsugaya's hand occasionally fingered the rim of her shirt, as if he wanted to go back under again, but then he would stop and cup her waist, squeezing it. Finally he spoke.

"Do you remember... That time when I hugged you? Even though it was only an accident," he said, pulling away from her. His eyes glowed warmly as he gazed at her, his hands on her shoulders. Karin nodded, feeling the heat rising to her face.

"I hugged you because I thought you were my mother," he said softly, and his fingers caressed her cheek. Karin's eyes widened. "That time, when I was telling you that there was a girl who reminded me of someone. That girl was you, and it was the same too," he leaned in closer to her, his eyes burning with an intensity she had never seen before.

"You reminded me of my mother," he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, trailing his fingers over her skin on her neck. Karin's breathing quickened, and she lost herself staring into Hitsugaya's gorgeous ocean-coloured pupils.

"W-why...?" She managed to gasp out. Hitsugaya gave her a small smile which made her heart flutter, thump louder, faster.

"Everything about you reminds me of her," he whispered, leaning in till their foreheads touched. "Your hair, and your eyes, even though they're of different colours. Your laugh, your smile, your personality..." he paused, his eyes glowing mysteriously.

"And maybe that's why..." he leaned in to her ear, his lips brushing her lobe. Karin couldn't breathe. She waited for him to continue, her heart feeling ready to burst out of her chest.

"I'm falling for you,"

Time seemed to stop around them. The only thing Karin could see were Hitsugaya's eyes, filled with his longing and his love, with hints of sadness as well. She covered her mouth with a hand, shocked.

Hitsugaya liked her.

He _liked_ her.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she hugged him tight, burying her face in his shoulder. The ice captain stroked her head, and he teasingly tickled her waist, before tugging down at her bra through her clothes to pull it back down. "Sorry for that just now," he whispered, pecking her lightly on the forehead. A crimson blush dusted his cheeks as he smiled in embarrassment. "I was... curious," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay," Karin smiled, pecking him back on the cheek. "I don't mind at all,"

* * *

The next day, school came and went quickly. Way too quickly, in fact. Karin waited till the entire classroom emptied, along with Hinamori and Rin, then followed them as they led her to the roof. It was deserted, as expected.

 _It's time..._ Karin thought, gulping. She clenched her fists. _I wonder what they're going to make me do. Hopefully nothing too much that I can't handle._

Hinamori gestured for her, and took out a rope. Karin narrowed her eyes. _What does she want to do with that?_

"Take off your clothes," she ordered, smirking as she played with the rope, twisting it.

"What?!" Karin gaped, stunned. "Why would I do that?"

Then Rin attacked from behind, her hands grabbing onto Karin's breasts. The soccer girl yelped, struggling. The fondling began, and Karin collapsed to the ground, gasping. "S-stop...!" She panted, flushing furiously.

"Then you'll listen to what we say. You did agree, after all," Hinamori sneered. Karin managed a scowl, but then gasped as Rin pinched her two tips hard. She pursed her lips, grabbing onto Rin's hands and forcefully taking them off.

Her fingers hesitated at the buttons of her uniform, and Rin reached out to grab her breasts again. "No! I-I'll do it... Just don't touch me!" Karin snapped, and slowly unbuttoned her uniform.

Soon enough, she was left with her undergarments on: a white laced bra and matching underwear. She covered her body, embarrassed. Just what was going on?

The wind caressed her skin, and Karin shivered, biting her lip. Hinamori smirked, then the door to the staircases opened, and Hishiri came in.

Karin's eyes widened. She had a guess about what she was supposed to do, but it sounded too absurd to be real. Hinamori couldn't possibly be _that_ evil, can't she?

"So... This is my prize?" Hishiri sneered, licking her lips at the sight of Karin, half-naked, sitting on the cold floor. Karin shuddered, looking away.

"That's right, Hishiri-san. Karin-san here happily accepted our deal. She's _so_ eager to begin her session with you," Hinamori purred, shooting Karin a sinister look. Karin gulped, watching as Hishiri drew closer. Then Rin grabbed her arm and dragged her to the railings, where Hinamori tied up her wrists.

"W-why are you doing this Hinamori?!" Karin asked, suddenly afraid. She never knew the 5th Division Vice-Captain could be so _devious._ It was frightening how someone could change so easily.

"Well, you did agree to our deal. Surely, you don't want those photos to be seen by the public right?" Hinamori snickered. She cupped one of Karin's breasts and fondled it, causing the soccer girl to flinch.

"But... Why this?" Karin's breath hitched in her throat as Hinamori unclasped her bra and pulled it down her arms, revealing her naked bosom. The soccer girl squirmed uncomfortably as the cold wind bit at her skin, and Hishiri's hungry eyes glued onto her.

Hinamori's eyes glinted menacingly as they hardened. "Because you did those unforgivable things to Shiro-chan. You seduced him, and changed him. You're just a wretched bitch," she scowled, pinching one of Karin's tips painfully hard. The soccer girl bit her lip, grimacing.

Then Hinamori scowl turned into a sickeningly sweet smile. "So we'll let Hishiri-san return the favour," she purred, and grabbed Karin's chin. She tilted Karin's head up so that the soccer girl could look at her in the eye. "You'll have to let him do whatever he wants to your body for two hours everyday for a month, like you promised." Her smile turned into a smirk.

"Of course, he can f*ck you too, but he decided to leave that till the last few days," she laughed maliciously. Karin felt a gnawing horror grow in her chest, freezing her limbs in place.

"W-what...?" She breathed out quietly, shocked. Hinamori smirked.

"See you in two hours, Karin- _san._ I hope you enjoy your session~" the 5th Division Vice-Captain giggled, and joined Rin at the door.

"W-wait! Hinamori!" Karin cried out, watching helplessly as the two girls left her alone with the perverted bully. "HINAMORI!"

"It's too late, Kurosaki Karin." Hishiri snickered, crouching down in front of her. He grabbed her chin, just like Hinamori had done. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Karin gulped, dread spreading through her mind. _Just what have I gotten myself into...?_

 _Help me Toushiro... I'm sorry..._

* * *

 _A/N Oh no... Karin's in trouble! Dx It's horrible! Why am I so evil?! D'x But at least our ice prince finally admitted his feelings... More trouble will be stirring up soon for our couple! Hinamori and Rin have started their revenge! And very, very soon, the Unknowns will make their next move! Next chapter, Hitsugaya reveals the contents of his nightmares, and a very horrifying truth! Thank you everyone, and look out for the next chapter!_

 ** _Reviews help me work faster, so do review and tell me your thoughts! :) Thanks guys!_**

 **(P.S. I know some of you are wondering why Karin isn't fighting back against Hinamori and Rin, which she would _normally_ do. This is because she is afraid that her secret would be exposed if she made a wrong move. And that time in the classroom, she was too shocked to do much. But like _chericewrites_ has so helpfully reviewed and said, there is plenty of space for character development! I'm sorry if you expected much more! ;-;)**


	20. FT COH: 19

_A/N Hey everyone! :) I'm back! In the previous chapter, Hitsugaya admits his feelings~ Yaaay~ But Karin is in huge trouble! Hinamori and Rin strikes! So now in this chapter, we're back to our ice prince, where he finally decided to reveal the truth of his nightmares! Happy reading! :)_

 **(I APOLOGISE ABOUT THE UNDESIRABLE PART IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME. ;-; Especially to XcXlonewolfXcX! :( I am so sorry about it!)**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Hitsugaya woke up, a little drowsy. He pushed himself up, scratching his neck. Looking around, he realised that he was in Ichigo's room, and was bewildered. Hadn't he been in Karin's room the day before? How was he suddenly here?

Then the door opened, a little quietly, and Hitsugaya saw vibrant orange hair before the Substitute himself stepped in. Ichigo narrowed his eyes when he saw the ice captain awake, and closed the door just as quietly behind him.

"Kurosaki..." Hitsugaya began, watching as the orange-haired man approached him.

"Toushiro..." Ichigo said, staring at him with a level gaze. "You slept with Karin last night, didn't you?" Hitsugaya froze, feeling slightly ashamed.

"What are you talking about?" He said slowly, eyeing the Substitute suspiciously. Ichigo scowled, and slammed a hand on his study table.

"I know you slept with her last night. When I came in her room earlier this morning, Karin was preparing for school, and you were _on her bed._ And Karin kept looking like she had done something wrong when she told me that she had slept on the floor," he snapped. Hitsugaya controlled his facial expression, blinking coolly up at the Kurosaki man.

"What about it?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. Ichigo seethed, clenching his fists.

"Look Toushiro. You better not have done anything to her. If you even dare to deflower _my_ sister-"

"Why in the bloody hell would I do that?" Hitsugaya spat, glaring daggers at him.

Ichigo said nothing, only glaring back. "Just warning you," he grumbled, then threw a set of clothes at the ice captain. Hitsugaya caught them, looking at them questioningly. "Go get a bath. You've been asleep long enough," Ichigo huffed, turning away.

He left the room, leaving Hitsugaya to stare after him in confusion. The ice captain glanced back down at his clothes again, and noticed a note sticking out from under the pile. He took it out.

 _ **Here's some new clothes for you Taicho! Hinamori and I went shopping yesterday to get you some new things! Hope you like them! ;P**_

 _ **Lots of love, Matsumoto Rangiku xx**_

Hitsugaya smiled. As always, Matsumoto was looking out for him. It was funny how she treated him like an innocent child incapable of doing his own shopping when he was her captain. _Hopefully she didn't get me anything too revealing. She knows what types of clothes I like,_ he thought fondly.

He glanced down at the clothes he was wearing currently, and noticed that they were awfully creased and wrinkled. Then he remembered he hadn't bathed for days.

The ice captain heaved himself up from the bed and staggered to the door. He climbed down the stairs, heading for the bathroom, but when he entered the living room he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

All the Shinigami were present there.

 _What the actual f*ck...?_

Hinamori was helping Yuzu prepare dinner, and Matsumoto and Rukia were seated at the dining table chatting. Byakuya was at the table too, drinking tea. The rest of the Shinigami: Renji, Hirako and Kazuko, as well as Ichigo himself, were watching television, squashed together on the sofas. Isshin was nowhere to be seen, and so was Karin.

Matsumoto looked up, and beamed brightly when she spotted her captain standing at the doorway, rooted to the spot with shock. "Taicho! You're up!" She called, waving to him.

Immediately, all activities ceased. The Shinigami were staring at him, including Ichigo and Yuzu. The blaring of the television and the hissing of a kettle as water boiled were the only sounds in the background. They were accompanied by the sound of clothes thumping onto the ground, as Hitsugaya dropped them due to his shock.

The ice captain slowly bent down to pick them up, his eyes not once leaving the Shinigami who were staring at him. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?" He asked quietly as he stood back upright, tucking his clothes under one arm.

"You look very tired, Shiro-chan," Hinamori responded, not answering his question. It was then Hitsugaya became aware of how disheveled he must look to the others. His hair was an absolute mess. There were faint bags under his eyes from too much sleep, and not to mention his lopsided, crumpled clothes which he had slept in for a long time.

"Yes. I am," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, and headed for the bathroom.

"Ah, Taicho! The bathroom is-" Matsumoto started, but Hitsugaya drew open the door before she could finish. And the most shocking sight met his eyes.

Karin was in the bathroom, literally stark naked and putting on her underwear. Her hair was dripping with water, which meant that she had just finished bathing. The soccer girl stared at him, her onyx eyes wide with astonishment. A furious blush began creeping onto her face.

It took Hitsugaya about three full seconds to register what he was seeing in front of him.

Then he slowly slid the door shut, just as Karin let out an ear-piercing shriek.

"F*CK IT, TOUSHIRO YOU BASTARD!"

Hitsugaya turned to Matsumoto, severely depleted of energy. His eyes had just suffered a major blow. His vice-captain gave him a sheepish smile. "The bathroom is in use," she finished.

"Tell me that earlier. Whatever that is important, tell me earlier. I've just been mentally scarred," Hitsugaya scowled, leaning against the wall. He doubted he could ever forget what he had just seen. He was even seeing Karin right in front of him right now, in the exact same pose she was in when he saw her. Completely _bare._

"But haven't you been mentally scarred ever since you came to be with Rangiku-san?" Renji snickered. Hitsugaya snapped his head towards the redhead, scowling once more.

"Have you ever seen a naked woman right in front of you Abarai? Putting on _clothes_ nonetheless? Have you? Getting suffocated in Matsumoto's chest almost everyday is one thing. This is another thing _entirely_ ," he snapped, glaring at the vice-captain. The ice captain saw Ichigo scowling at him and shot a venomous glare at the Substitute in response.

The bathroom door burst open, and a flushed Karin stormed out. "Where is he? Where is that-?" She spotted Hitsugaya staring at her weakly and stalked up to him, trying, and failing, to look fearsome while pushing down her blush.

"Why didn't you knock?! YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOCKED. DIDN'T ANYONE TELL YOU I WAS IN THERE?!" She screamed in his face. Hitsugaya mock-facepalmed.

"Oh, now _why_ did I not think of that? Knocking on the door! Yes, perfect. Why not you go enjoy a nice cup of tea and relax while I do _what you just asked me to do right now_?" He said sarcastically. Before Karin could reply, he went over to the bathroom and gave the door a hard kick, sending it flying open.

"Knock _knock_ ," he spat, then went in. "Oh, and just to inform you, someone was about to tell me that you were in here, but she said it _a second too late_ ," he scowled, pointedly glared at Matsumoto, then slammed the door shut.

A heavy silence fell. Karin gaped, trying to find the words to retort back, but was failed by her voice. "Mood swings," Hirako smirked. "He gets that a lot," And the 5th Division Captain coolly resumed watching the television.

* * *

By the time Hitsugaya came out of the bathroom, refreshed and much more calm, dinner was ready. He paused, sniffing the air as the scent of well-made curry wafted into his nose.

"Oi Toushiro. Over here," Ichigo called, waving him over to the dining table. The ice captain frowned, seeing Karin, Yuzu, Byakuya and Hinamori seated there. The other Shinigami were sitting on the sofas, wolfing down the delicious food.

Hitsugaya soon found himself seated between Karin and Hinamori at the head of the table. Byakuya sat quietly opposite of Yuzu beside Hinamori.

The ice captain stared at the food, steaming hot. It reminded him vaguely of something his mother used to cook for him. "Aren't you going to eat, Shiro-chan?" Hinamori asked, glancing at him.

Hitsugaya didn't reply. "Curry...?" He muttered, poking at the potatoes. The other four people at the table were staring at him now.

"Hitsugaya Taicho, are you recalling something? About your... past perhaps?" Byakuya said, staring at him with a level gaze. The ice captain flinched. All the chatter from the Shinigami at the sofa stopped, and Hitsugaya found himself in the centre of attention once again.

"W-what are you talking about...?" Hitsugaya scoffed, avoiding the 6th Division Captain's hard indigo stare. "I don't remember a thing about my past," He saw Karin raise an eyebrow questioningly at him. _I only told you because I trust you._ He shot her a look, but Byakuya, with his sharp hawk-like eyes, caught it.

"Perhaps Kurosaki Karin knows something?" His dark gaze turned to Karin, and she dropped her spoon.

"Uhm... I don't know what you're talking about Byakuya-san," she said awkwardly, and her eyes strangely shifted to Hinamori. The 5th Division Vice-Captain was glaring at her.

"Then how can you explain the fact that you found this?" Ichigo snapped, getting up. He went to the cupboard and rummaged around for a moment, before he took out the photo frame which Karin and Hitsugaya had found in the old house. The ice captain froze, his face paling.

"Where did you get that...?" He choked out as the Substitute placed the frame in front of him.

"I'm sorry Toushiro... I... I led Ichi-nii to the house because I thought it was important and... well, he brought it back with us," Karin blurted out before Ichigo could speak.

"Good thing I did. Now spit it, Toushiro. Tell us what you know. About those nightmares you keep having, who these people are..." Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "And yourself,"

Hitsugaya slowly got up from his seat, moving back. He tripped over the chair leg and collapsed onto the ground, shaking. Teal eyes wide, he staggered back to his feet and moved back again.

"Get... Get that thing away from me," he gasped out, and he hit the wall. The ice captain slid down, sitting on the floor, eyes large with fear.

Ichigo took the picture and walked over to him, thrusting it on his face. "This? What's wrong with this?" He snapped, and Hitsugaya cringed. "Answer me Toushiro!"

"Stop... Please stop... Don't make me remember... I _don't want to remember_!" The ice captain screamed, shoving Ichigo away.

"What is it that you don't want to remember? We need to know Toushiro!" Ichigo snapped, throwing the photo frame carelessly onto the floor. The glass shattered, and the frame broke. The picture lay on the ground, covered in shards and splintered wood.

Hitsugaya froze, and slowly crept forward to reach for it, but Ichigo swiped up the photo first. "Give it back," the ice captain sobbed, his voice breaking. Ichigo's eyes widened the slightest bit, but then they narrowed again, hardening with anger and suspicion.

"Why should I? I thought you didn't want it?" He growled. Hitsugaya lowered his head, chewing his lip.

"Ichigo, just give it back. He looks like he might die without it," Rukia said softly.

"Yeah Ichigo. Just return it to him," Renji agreed.

"No. Not until he tells us what he knows," Ichigo argued. Then Hinamori lunged forward and grabbed at the picture.

"Shiro-chan already asked for it back! You don't have to torture him by not returning it!" She snapped crossly. Ichigo scowled and pulled at it, trying to shake it out of her grasp. "Let go!" The 5th Division Vice-Captain hissed.

"No way!" Ichigo snapped back.

Hitsugaya looked absolutely horrified to see the two of them struggling over the photo. Rukia went to help Hinamori as they tugged and pulled.

"Stop it. Stop it, don't _tear it_!" Hitsugaya whispered hoarsely. Karin grabbed at another end of the picture, helping Hinamori and Rukia out. Shouts were exchanged as the four struggled for the picture. Renji and Hirako tried to pull Ichigo away, while Kazuko beat at Ichigo's arms, trying to get him to let go. Yuzu had gone to fetch Isshin, while Byakuya just stood there, watching quietly. Matsumoto assisted Karin, pinching Ichigo's skin.

But the adamant Kurosaki refused to let go.

And a ripping sound was heard.

Right in front of his eyes, Hitsugaya watched as the picture of his family in the past tore into three.

Silence fell as everyone stared at the torn parts. Then wordlessly, Karin snatched the other two parts away from Ichigo and Hinamori, and crouched down beside the frozen Hitsugaya, handing them to him.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her eyes flashing with sadness. Hitsugaya stared at the three parts in his hands, unable to say anything.

The picture had been torn so that the male with dark blue hair was on one piece, the female with similar eyes to Hitsugaya was on another, and the two twins on the last, bigger piece. The Hitsugaya in the picture had been completely ripped into half.

Like a family, split apart because of the one in the middle. Which was Hitsugaya.

A sound began to rise in Hitsugaya's throat. He had never experienced it before, and it was so unexpected it slipped out of his mouth without any hesitation.

It was a wail.

Then the rest followed after, an endless stream. The ice captain bent over, clutching the pieces of the photo to his chest, broken sounds escaping his lips. The tears began to flow, dripping onto the wooden floor of the Kurosaki residence.

The Shinigami stared in shocked silence. Karin put an arm around Hitsugaya's trembling shoulders, her own eyes welling up.

Ichigo himself looked rather guilty. He looked at the ground, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Hitsugaya shuddered, and his cries came out louder, heartbroken and filled with his agony. His heart ached painfully, an empty hole opening up. He sobbed and wailed, letting out all his sadness which he had kept bottled up inside him over the past days.

The 10th Division Captain, Hitsugaya Toushiro, renowned for being ice cold and serious, had finally broken down his wall.

He was crying.

* * *

A rather terrible silence drifted around the room after Hitsugaya had calmed down, his broken wailing dying into sniffles and soft sobs. The Shinigami were all squashed together on the sofa and armchair, while Hitsugaya quietly sat on the other sofa alone. Byakuya, who was too dignified to be seated amongst a bunch of rowdy people, stood at a side. Karin and Yuzu were standing around with Isshin behind them, who had come rushing in after hearing about the commotion.

The ice captain was staring at the photo, a blank look on his face. Karin had tried to patch it up as best as she could with transparent tape, but it didn't really look right.

Yuzu then decided to leave the scene, and fled up to her room. It was still silent.

Then Hitsugaya slowly looked up from the photo and stared at his fellow Shinigami with an exhausted expression.

"Look, Toushiro. I'm..." Ichigo began nervously, his tone awkward.

"Don't bother. It doesn't matter anymore," Hitsugaya cut in, his voice barely a whisper. He glanced towards the three standing people and gestured for them, shifting to the end of the sofa. Karin sat down beside him, gave him a worried look and put a hand on his shoulder, a silent question.

"I'm fine," Hitsugaya muttered, not looking at her. Isshin sat down beside Karin, and finally Byakuya took his seat at the other end of the sofa.

"You wanted to know about my nightmares, didn't you? About my family, and my past?" Hitsugaya began solemnly. The Shinigami all nodded, slightly hesitant. "Then I'll tell you. It's no use hiding it anymore," he said.

"Then tell us about your nightmares first, Taicho," Matsumoto said. Hitsugaya gave her a sideways glance and shrugged.

"They're pretty much the same. All of them are..." he paused, and an uncertain look flickered across his face. "They're all about blood,"

Gasps came from a few of the Shinigami. "What do you mean, blood?" Hirako asked, frowning.

"Exactly what it means. My nightmares are all about people dying. There's always some candle light, screams of young children, a bloodied hand, a knife glinting in the dark..." Hitsugaya grimaced, and he shuddered. "And after all that, I find myself running. As if I was really there when all the killing happened... And I think the people who were screaming was my family," he whispered hoarsely.

Nobody said anything as they took in the information. "Your family... Huh..." Ichigo murmured quietly. Hitsugaya nodded, looking back at the picture.

"So anyway... Where... Where did you run to, Hitsugaya Taicho?" Rukia asked uncertainly. Hitsugaya furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember. Then he shook his head.

"I don't know. I only remember running through dark streets and seeing blood everywhere in front of me. And I was chased by someone," he gulped, pursing his lips. The ice captain looked down at his trembling hands.

"I heard his laugh," he said quietly. "It was horrible. Mocking, even. It's like it was taunting me, telling me to run faster and try to hide, but no matter what I do I won't be able to escape it," Hitsugaya shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

"Did you... Did you see who laughed, Hitsugaya Taicho? Who your pursuer was?" Kazuko asked. Hitsugaya shook his head.

"But his voice was familiar," he muttered. "I heard it before. But I just don't remember where," He clutched his head, frowning.

"Then what about your family?" Renji questioned. Hitsugaya seemed to have mixed feelings about the topic. He was frowning, but his eyes glowed for a moment, then darkened, and glowed again.

"I don't really remember much about them, but... I remember my mother the most," His gaze slid to Karin, and the soccer girl blushed, pursing her lips. The ice captain raised up the photo and pointed to the woman with teal eyes matching his own.

"This is my mother," he said. "If I remember correctly, her name was Hitsugaya Fujioka. She was caring, kind and pretty. But sometimes, when she gets angry, she can become rash and hot-tempered, and would even hit the person who made her mad in the first place." A small, wistful smile slipped onto his face. "Out of all my family members, I loved her the most. She was my entire world," he whispered, but then sadness clouded his eyes.

"What about your other family members? Do you remember anything about them?" Isshin asked gently. Hitsugaya frowned, glancing down at the picture.

"I'm not very sure. I know the two girls are my sisters, somewhat. They're called Mizu and Kaze. But the man... He's the one I don't really remember. I don't even know whether he's my father. I only know he's called... Rai," The ice captain frowned further.

"Why can't I remember...?" He muttered, more to himself.

"What about yourself?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya blinked, stunned.

"I don't remember anything about myself," he said blankly.

"Not a thing? Not even when you were born or something?" Hirako gaped. Hitsugaya shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows as he pondered.

But then he heard the scratching. And a hiss. "Do you hear that?" He whispered, eyes wide.

"Hear what?" Karin asked, staring at him as if he had gone bonkers. The scratching started up again.

"That," Hitsugaya said. Everybody strained to listen.

"There's nothing. You must be hearing things Toushiro," Ichigo scoffed. Hitsugaya frowned.

"I certainly am-" he snapped, but then paused when a memory flashed through his head.

* * *

 _"Tou-chan! Tou-chan look!" A little white-haired boy cried, pointing up a tree. A man with similar white hair smiled, following the boy's finger._

 _"Oh? It's a squirrel!" He laughed, crouching down beside the boy. Sure enough, sitting on the tree while nibbling an acorn was a real squirrel. It watched them quietly as it ate, a large brown eye staring at the two._

 _"Tou-chan, it looks creepy. Why's it staring at us like that?" The boy scrunched up his nose, staring back at the squirrel._

 _"That's because we're disturbing it. Come on little Toshi. Let's go home," the man chuckled, and led the boy away, holding his hand._

 _Then the boy heard a scuffle, and saw a young girl watching them from behind a pole, a strange chain attached to her chest. He tugged at the man's arm, pointing to the girl. "Tou-chan, why's that girl over there wearing a chain?" He asked curiously._

 _The man glanced at the pole, and frowned. "There's nothing there Toshi. You must be seeing things," he said. But the boy was adamant. He glanced towards the pole again, and the girl was still there._

 _"But she's over there Tou-chan. She's looking at us. Hello!" He waved at the girl, and the girl seemed a bit shocked. Shyly, she waved back, a blush on her cheeks._

 _"You're imagining things Toshi. I told you, there's nothing there. Come along now. People are staring," the man pulled the boy along hurriedly. The boy looked back once more, and saw the girl, watching them go. He gave her a smile and a final wave, before turning back._

 _He never saw the girl smile back, tears glinting in her eyes._

* * *

"I remembered something," Hitsugaya whispered, eyes wide. He blinked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What? What is it?" Ichigo asked urgently.

"There was a man. He had white hair like mine. And I called him 'Tou-chan'," he looked down at the photo. "So this man here isn't my father," he frowned. "But where could he be?"

The scratching sound came again, and Hitsugaya stood up, scowling. "Just what is that-" he turned around to look behind the sofa he had been sitting on, and something sharp gleamed in the light.

An excruciating pain shot through Hitsugaya's body, and he coughed out blood. He looked down, and saw a large sword stabbed through his chest. "Eh...?" He looked back up, his vision blurring, and saw the poison yellow pupils of an Unknown staring at him hungrily.

Then the sword was pulled out, and he was grabbed by another Unknown. Screams echoed around him as he was thrown against a wall.

His back connected with the wall, and he grunted, the pain keeping him from falling unconscious. Two Unknowns stared at him, and there was another one at the front, facing off the Shinigami. Hitsugaya realised he was cornered.

Then the two Unknowns in front of him attacked. But strangely, they tore his shirt off, and one of them grabbed him by the neck. Hitsugaya choked, grappling at the Unknown's arm.

A searing agony throbbed at his hip, and he looked down only to see the second Unknown biting his waist. He felt it suck hard, a sandpaper-like tongue licking his skin up and down. As if it was drinking something.

Then the Unknown who was holding him by the neck sank razor sharp fangs into his shoulder. Hitsugaya cried out, his body trembling. Soon enough, he slid to the ground, gasping for air as the two Unknowns sucked and licked him.

His strength seemed to be draining away.

And it was then Hitsugaya realised what they were doing to him.

The Unknowns were feeding on his reiatsu.

* * *

 _A/N There you go guys! More things for you to ponder about! :) And so, the Unknowns attack again! But this time, they're drinking Hitsugaya's reiatsu?! What's going on now?! Next chapter, a time lapse happens! What will happen after a few weeks? Find out in the next chapter! Thanks guys! :)_

 ** _Reviews help me work faster, so do review and tell me what you think about this story! Thanks for reading! :)_**


	21. FT COH: 20

_A/N Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry for the late update, I was busy! So, in the previous chapter, we discover more about Hitsugaya's past, and a strange man who appears to be his father! But then, who is the other man in the picture with the ice prince's family? And the Unknowns attack! It seems that they are absorbing Hitsugaya's reiatsu! :0 Why is that so?! In this chapter, there'll be a time lapse, as well as some girl talk between Matsumoto, Rukia and our poor Karin! What will they talk about? Read on to find out! Happy reading! :)_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Ichigo was struggling. He had already come out of his gigai and was facing the Unknown in front of him, along with Renji and Rukia at his side. But the problem was, he didn't want to fight in _his own house_ and wreck it. And there was no way the Unknowns were going to listen to him if he asked them that they were going to take the battle elsewhere. He doubted the beasts even have brains.

But there was another problem, and it was a major one. Two Unknowns were, strangely, biting Hitsugaya. And the ice captain seemed to be getting paler as each second passed where they stayed on him. He was slumped on the ground, a sheen of sweat on his face and trickling down his chest, where his clothes had been ripped. The wound inflicted on him by the Unknowns was still bleeding profusely.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Just what were the Unknowns doing to the ice captain? It was bizarre enough to see them appear out of nowhere.

Hitsugaya's teal gaze caught his, and the Substitute saw the anguish in them. He was in pain.

"Ichigo, stay focused! We need to take down this Unknown first before we can reach Hitsugaya Taicho!" Rukia snapped at him. Ichigo nodded, trying to get the image of the ice captain's pained eyes out of his head. Of course he would be in pain. He was being bitten.

The Unknown in front of him flicked a forked tongue in and out of it's mouth. Occasionally, it glanced back at the trapped ice captain and its two fellow creatures, and Ichigo saw a hunger in its yellow eyes unlike anything he had seen before.

It was like it was craving for something.

Something that Hitsugaya...

"Ichi-nii! Toushiro's reiatsu is depleting! IT'S DEPLETING!" Karin shrieked, her voice panic-stricken. Ichigo blinked, and finally noticed the ice captain's reiatsu. Sure enough, it was dropping.

Rapidly.

"TOUSHIRO!" He roared, and charged at the Unknown without a second thought. The black monster hissed and blocked him with a katana. Then suddenly, behind them, the two Unknowns released Hitsugaya and he lay on the floor, shivering and clutching his side, where blood was pouring from the new bite wounds.

The Unknowns approached Ichigo, hissing, and the beast which the Substitute had been struggling against leapt back. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at it as it inched towards the gasping Hitsugaya, then pounced on the ice captain.

It ripped one of his pant legs off and sank deadly canines into Hitsugaya's thigh, like it was eating a juicy chicken.

The ice captain gasped, wincing and shuddering, his teal eyes flashing with pain. "S-sto-p," he choked out, weakly hitting against the Unknown's head. But that seemed to make it bite harder.

Hitsugaya cried out, and his eyes sent a desperate plea, meeting Ichigo's own brown gaze.

 _Help me._

The ice captain's reiatsu was waning, dropping at an alarming rate. Ichigo could barely sense it anymore.

"GET OFF HIM!" He roared at the Unknown, trying to barge past the two other creatures blocking his path. Even though he didn't like Hitsugaya for seemingly trying to hook up with Karin, he still thought of the ice captain as a little brother. A brother he didn't have.

Rukia and Renji went to his aid, and very soon the living room was a mess. Hinamori accidentally blasted a hole through the wall with Tobiume, while Hirako had sliced up one of the sofas. Matsumoto's Haineko shredded the curtains, and Kazuko chopped off one of the dining table's legs.

But the Unknowns were unfazed.

And then more came.

Two other Unknowns came in through the broken windows and slithered towards Hitsugaya, before they bit him too. One bit his bicep, and the other, his calf.

Hitsugaya's body convulsed, giving a single shudder, before he became limp.

"TOUSHIRO! HANG IN THERE JUST A BIT LONGER! OI, TOUSHIRO!" Ichigo roared as the Unknowns blocked his path to the dangerously weak ice captain. Hitsugaya didn't seem to hear him. He still lay, motionless, bleeding profusely on the ground. Only the faint, rapid rising and falling of his chest indicated that he was alive.

Then the two other Unknowns let go, licking their black lips as Hitsugaya coughed, curling into a ball in pain. He clutched at his leg and waist, whimpering softly. Ichigo saw him reach a trembling hand into his pocket, blood trailing down his chin.

The ice captain took out his soul candy, and the Substitute finally realised what he wanted to do.

Hitsugaya wanted to get out of his gigai and get away from the Unknowns. He would probably gather up the last scraps of his reiatsu and use shunpo. _Yes, Toushiro! Hurry up and get away!_ Ichigo urged in his mind.

But an Unknown caught sight of the action, and lunged at the ice captain, grabbing his neck and slamming him hard against the wall. The soul candy flew from his hand, landing some distance away where Byakuya stood, watching still.

Hitsugaya choked, struggling weakly against the Unknown as it tightened its grip on his neck. "L-let... Go..." he rasped, kicking out at the beast with a foot. The Unknown hissed and forcefully tilted the ice captain's head away, exposing his neck.

And it bit him right there.

The ice captain convulsed, his pupils dilating in pain. Then he once again grew limp, his eyelids fluttering as they closed slowly. "TOUSHIRO!" Karin screamed, and rushed at the Unknown biting her friend, kicking it in the head with a powerful attack.

The Unknown screeched, jumping away, hissing like a snake. Karin grabbed Hitsugaya's motionless, bleeding body tightly to her, looking at the beast with a fierce defiance in her eyes.

The black creature let out a fearsome screech, and dove at Karin.

"KARIN! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Ichigo roared, pushing against the other four Unknowns. His sister put her body in front of Hitsugaya's as she clutched him, eyes squeezing shut, waiting for the pain.

Then a sakura petal drifted by.

And pink blades engulfed the Unknown, tearing at its skin. Dark blood gushed out of the wounds, and it gave a final screech of agony, before a portal appeared behind it and it disappeared, escaping quickly. The petals continued to ravage the other Unknowns, ripping them and shredding them causing them to flee.

Once the last Unknown escaped, the petals formed back into the blade of Byakuya's Senbonzakura. "B-Byakuya..." Ichigo stammered, feeling quite shocked. He never thought that the Unknowns could be so easily dealt with by the 6th Division Captain when the other Shinigami had such a hard time coping.

"Instead of gawking, Kurosaki Ichigo, I believe that there are more important matters to attend to." The Kuchiki noble said, glancing to the limp Hitsugaya in Karin's arms. Ichigo started,then nodded quickly, rushing to Karin's side.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worriedly looking at his sister. Karin didn't reply, instead just staring down at the ice captain's broken body.

"Ichi-nii... How can someone bleed so much...?" She whispered hoarsely. Ichigo realised that Hitsugaya was bleeding heavily, his skin frighteningly pale. His reiatsu was almost completely out.

"We need a healer!" He snapped behind him, where the other Shinigami were watching him. "Someone, fetch Inoue! And we need someone who can use Kidou- Hinamori-san, hurry!" The 5th Division Vice-Captain hurried to treat Hitsugaya, shoving Karin away with a glare. Matsumoto turned out of the house.

"Ichigo, help me carry him to the sick bay. We'll treat him there, and I can bandage him up once he's healed." Isshin instructed, crouching beside Hinamori. Ichigo nodded, and slowly, as gently as he could, lifted Hitsugaya up in his arms, then followed his father out of the destroyed living room, heading for the clinic. Hinamori and Rukia followed behind closely, while Karin merely retreated upstairs. Kazuko and Renji began cleaning up as best as they could, while the two remaining captains sat down on the last surviving sofa and began discussing quietly.

Things were beginning to get quite out of hand.

* * *

 _ **Three weeks later...**_

* * *

Karin slowly walked home from school, shivering. She felt a tingly sensation run up her body and wrapped her arms around herself. Her third-last session with Hishiri had ended. _Two more days to go,_ she thought to herself.

She thought back to the events that had happened over the past weeks. Hitsugaya had woken up after the incident a week later, completely exhausted and silent. He had barely said a word to anyone, including Karin herself, only sitting on his bed in one of the clinic's wards and staring out the window. The only time he spoke a lot during that period was when he told everyone about what the Unknowns did to him, absorbing his reiatsu. There was always someone with him of course, in case another Unknown attacked.

The ice captain had stayed that way, in a dream-like state, for almost the entire of the second week, before he decided to move around.

And that was when the Unknowns striked again.

Luckily, because Byakuya had been the one who was with him at that moment, they were easily defeated, but not before they managed to injure Hitsugaya with a few swipes to his body. The ice captain had passed out again after the ordeal, most likely in shock and exhaustion.

But the wounds were not as severe as before, and he woke up after two days. Currently, he was still recuperating, but this time moved to Ichigo's room, where the Substitute could watch him, along with another Shinigami, usually Hinamori, Matsumoto or Kazuko.

Karin sighed. She felt utterly useless. In fact, by letting herself get raped by Hishiri everyday was causing her morale to drop even further.

She couldn't even do anything to protect Hitsugaya from such a dangerous threat like the Unknowns. _If only I had more power... If only..._

"Karin?" Came a soft, familiar voice, and Karin spun around to see Rukia and Matsumoto behind her. The two women wore matching expressions of worry and concern.

"Ah... Rukia-chan. Rangiku-san. Is... Is there a problem?" Karin gave a strained smile, trying to look normal. An uncomfortable feeling twisted her stomach, and a shock ran from her chest to the rest of her body. A memory of Hishiri doing intimate things to her flashed through her mind, and her smile wavered.

"We need to talk Karin," Matsumoto said, taking her hand. "It's concerning Taicho..." she paused, looking at the soccer girl dead in the eyes. "And you,"

* * *

Karin soon found herself in a V.I.P floor of an expensive café. She had no idea how Matsumoto had even afforded it. _Perhaps the salary of a vice-captain is higher than the average of people working in businesses,_ she thought. _Then Toushiro's salary would be even..._

"Do you want to drink anything, Karin?" Rukia asked, shifting the menu to her. Karin shook her head, her stomach feeling empty.

"It's fine... I'm not hungry," she forced herself to smile, even though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"At least have something. You _must_ be hungry after such a long day of school," Matsumoto urged. Karin refused still. A tense silence descended amongst the three women, and Karin played with the hem of her uniform, squeezing her legs tightly.

"So... What is it that you need to talk to me about?" Karin asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. Matsumoto and Rukia glanced at each other.

"You're... being raped aren't you?" The 10th Division Vice-Captain asked softly. The words echoed through the air like the whispers of death. Karin's breath hitched in her throat, her eyes widening.

"I-I..." she stammered, unable to say anything. How did Matsumoto know?!

"You don't have to hide it anymore Karin. I told Matsumoto Fuku-Taicho about what Hinamori Fuku-Taicho is making you do. I told her everything," Rukia said, gazing at her. Karin felt like the world was crazhing down on her.

"W-why? If Hinamori finds out that you know, she'll... She'll frame _me_ for sexual assault!" Karin spluttered, her voice choked. Matsumoto sighed.

"I know. Rukia told me about that too. How Hinamori took photos of you and Taicho sleeping together... And taking advantage of the pictures the security camera took while you two were in the bathroom during our setup," she lowered her head. "We're so sorry. If we hadn't done the setup, perhaps..."

"What's past is past," Karin said, swallowing. "Nothing can change that,"

Both Rukia and Matsumoto looked guilty. "Is that all you want to talk to me about?" Karin asked, getting ready to leave.

"No! Of course not. There are... Other things," Rukia said.

"Karin, you like my Taicho don't you?" Matsumoto asked. Karin froze, a blush rising up her cheeks.

"I-I don't understand what you mean," she stuttered, looking at the ground. Matsumoto looked at her sternly.

"Don't lie Karin. I know you like him. No, 'like' is too vague a word. You _love_ him," she corrected. Karin bit her lip, hunching her shoulders.

"... What about it?" She snapped, glaring at her hands under the table. "I doubt he even likes me back anyway,"

 _"And maybe that's why... I'm falling for you,"_

Hitsugaya had said those words to her, before the Unknowns attacked and severely wounded him. She doubted he was even telling the truth. He had been so exhausted till he even mistook her for his mother when he woke up. Certainly, what he said was false.

 _I shouldn't get my hopes up. In the end, I'm nothing but a friend to him. Hinamori's the one he cares about the most... Hinamori..._ Karin winced at the memory of the 5th Division Vice-Captain's mocking, taunting smile, her sinister smirks, and flashing brown eyes.

"Karin, look. You shouldn't be so negative about it," Rukia said gently. "It's alright to feel that way. It's what everyone feels when they first begin to experience love," Karin's head shot up, an eyebrow raised.

"Rukia-chan, does that mean that you...?"

"Yes... I'm in love with your brother. But don't tell that idiotic strawberry. He doesn't deserve to know yet," the petite Shinigami gave her a crooked smile, a sad smile on her face. Karin gaped at her.

"But, Rukia-chan! Ichi-nii..." Karin stammered. _Should I tell her about what Ichi-nii says to himself every night?_

"Oh, don't bother trying to motivate me and cheer me up Karin. Ichigo deserves to have someone better, despite being such a massive knucklehead. Inoue would be a good choice for him," Rukia sighed, smiling wistfully.

"Anyway, back to Taicho and Karin..." Matsumoto coughed. "Tell us about your real feelings Karin. What you truly, truly feel, deep down in your heart," The soccer girl hesitated for a moment. Then she sighed.

"I admit it, I really do love him. Toushiro... He's unlike any boy I've ever met. He's humble, kind and caring, sweet, smart, handsome even... But he... He must be in love with Hinamori. He _must_ be. Who wouldn't? I mean, just look at her! She's cute, pretty, quite clever and she's his childhood friend," Karin burst out. The two women blinked, stunned.

"Is that really what you think?" Matsumoto said. "Taicho isn't the type of man who likes a woman for being all perfect and innocent. He prefers women who are themselves, and in some way similar to him,"

"But Hinamori..." Karin protested.

"Hinamori is Hinamori. I'm telling you, Taicho only thinks of her as a sister whom he needs to protect," Mataumoto explained.

"How do you know that?" Karin snapped, feeling frustrated.

"He told me," the busty vice-captain gave a helpless shrug. Karin's jaws dropped.

"Why would he tell you?" She gasped. Matsumoto giggled.

"The advantage of being a vice-captain is that you'll grow closer to your captain than anyone else. I've been with Taicho for a few centuries already, and I can tell you that I know what he thinks most of the time," she smiled. "Taicho told me once, when I asked him if he thought of Hinamori as more tha a sister. He said he didn't, and that Hinamori would always be Hinamori to him."

"Then I asked him what type of girls he liked," Matsumoto paused, recollecting her memories. "He said he liked girls who weren't too fragile and easily frightened of things. He preferred tougher girls than childish ones. Then he also said that it would be better if the girl had a similar passion to him," Matsumoto listed. Karin frowned. What type of girl was that?

"You see Karin? I can tell you, very certainly, that Taicho only loves Hinamori as a sister." Matsumoto smiled. Karin felt little relief from that.

"Even if he only thinks of her as a sister, _Hinamori_ thinks of him like he's her _husband_!" Karin spat, feeling a familiar surge of rage. Both Matsumoto and Rukia looked equally shocked.

"She does?" They exclaimed at the same time. Karin nodded, a little disheartened.

"She's possessive of him, and she even said I _seduced_ him! She called me a... a..." her voice choked into a sob, and she buried her face in her hands. "She said I didn't deserve him..." Karin whispered.

"And she's right. I _don't_ deserve him. Toushiro is... He's..." She sobbed. "He deserves better than me. I'm just a tomboy whom no one likes. I-I'm not pretty, or sweet. I do things other girls don't like... And..." Karin gulped. Tears stung her eyes as she readied herself to say the next few words. "Like Hinamori said, I'm a-"

" _Don't_ say it," Matsumoto suddenly snapped, gazing intensely at the depressed soccer girl. "Whatever you were about to say, don't you dare say it,"

Karin blinked, stunned.

"You have no right to be so negative about yourself, Karin! You don't know how Taicho feels!" The busty vice-captain exclaimed.

"But-" Karin sniffed. Matsumoto reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay to be upset and worried Karin, but to be so negative of yourself? That's not right. You should _never_ hate yourself. It'll make you feel even worse," her voice softened.

"Even if it's just unrequited love, continue to love him. Even if he doesn't know about your feelings, still love him. Then one day, perhaps once you have the confidence, confess to him. Don't mind Hinamori- she's just jealous of you because Taicho is giving you more attention than her," the vice-captain smiled.

"Why would she be jealous of me? It's not like he likes me-" Karin began.

"I told you not to be so negative!" Matsumoto chided. Karin kept quiet, tears welling in her eyes.

"Remember when Taicho said he preferred being with you rather than with Hinamori? That's the reason why she's jealous. She just wants his attention, like he used to give her," the strawberry-blonde woman said gently.

"U-used to?" Karin hiccupped.

"You never realised that Taicho doesn't pay her much attention anymore?" Matsumoto asked. Karin shook her head.

"You see Karin? You only worry about what Taicho thinks. You don't notice what he _does_. Taicho doesn't talk much- though he nags a lot- and that's why his body gestures and expressions are important if you want to know what he's feeling or thinking," the 10th Division Vice-Captain said. Karin never thought of that.

"Really?" She whispered, feeling slightly hopeful.

"Yup. I've been observing him for a while, and I can tell that he doesn't give Hinamori much thought anymore. His attention has gone... elsewhere. To a particular person, actually," Matsumoto gave her a mysterious smile.

Karin found that slightly more comforting. "A-are you sure? You're not lying?" She asked. Matsumoto laughed.

"Of course I'm sure. Why would I lie to someone who likes Taicho?" She answered smoothly. Karin managed to smile a bit.

"Thank you Rangiku-san..." Karin sobbed, and found herself beginning to cry. _I'm such a weakling,_ she thought to herself, but didn't feel like trying to stop. Matsumoto blinked, then sighed and got up, sitting down beside her and pulling her into a hug.

"There there, you big baby. Rangiku-san's here," the vice-captain soothed. Sniffling was heard and Karin saw that Rukia was crying too.

"Matsumoto Fuku-Taicho! You were so motivating!" The petite Shinigami exclaimed. Matsumoto smiled and pulled Rukia towards her too.

"You two are such massive crybabies! If you keep crying, no man will like you!" She chuckled, holding onto the two sobbing girls. Karin felt reassured.

 _Rangiku-san is amazing,_ she thought. _Toushiro is lucky to have her as his vice-captain._

 _Thank you Rangiku-san. I won't forget what you said._

 _I only have to last two more days of torment. I'll pull through. I_ will. _Then, I'll just continue to help Toushiro from the sidelines. I won't get jealous if Hinamori spends more time with him. I'll just watch him, guide him, and even if he doesn't like me back, continue to love him._

 _Toushiro is the only boy I've ever loved after all._

* * *

 _A/N So that's the end guys! :) Matsumoto gets Karin sorted out from her troubled state! Always the matchmaker and motivator! XD Next chapter, things get more serious. The mastermind behind the Unknowns begin to make his move! Hinamori strikes again! And things go from bad to worse for both Karin and Hitsugaya! See you in the next chapter! Thanks guys! :)_

 ** _Reviews make me work faster, so do review and tell me what you think! XD_**


	22. FT COH: 21

_A/N Hey guys! I'm back! In the previous chapter, Karin had a little girl talk with Matsumoto and Rukia! In this chapter, the leader of the Unknowns begin to make a move! Hinamori rages and strikes harder! And very soon, things will fall out between our couple Hitsugaya and Karin! What will happen? Happy reading everyone! :)_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

In the darkness, a shadow waited. Patiently, quietly, an eerie silence descending upon the room. The clinking of metal against metal was the only sound heard as the creature in the dark toyed with a screwdriver.

Then a long-awaited ring filled the air as the phone rang. Long white claws picked it up and pressed it to a pointy elf-like ear. " **Hello?** " the creature hissed, a fork-like tongue flicking in and out. A crackle of static.

" _Sir? Is that you?_ " a voice said through the phone. The creature let out a hiss.

" **Of course you fool. Who else?** " it snapped. " **How is the host doing?** " There was the sound of shifting then another crackle.

" _Asleep. His wounds are healing just fine,_ " the voice replied.

" **Very good,** " the shadow smirked, licking bone white lips.

 _"Sir, your servants... Why did they...?"_ The voice asked, a little timidly. The beast let out a haughty laugh.

" **I will tell you soon enough. Now, I want him here by the end of the week,** " it instructed. " **Catch him off guard and by whatever means, _don't_ let him see who you are,**"

" _Yes sir,_ " the voice said, then the line went dead. The shadow leaned back against its seat.

A little longer. All it had to do was wait a little longer.

Then once the host arrives, Soul Society will be no more.

* * *

Hinamori watched as Hitsugaya slept on peacefully, a ray of moonlight shedding on his godly face. His white hair glittered iridescently, sparkling like snow under the sun. She smiled to herself. This moment was perfect. There was no Karin around to bother her. She had Hitsugaya all to herself.

The 5th Division Vice-Captain turned away, heading for the door, when she stopped. There were voices outside. Two, both females. They were particularly soft, so Hinamori pressed her ear to the door and strained to listen, wondering what they were talking about.

"Don't you think we should do something?" Came Rukia's voice, slightly worried.

"I know. But Hinamori won't take it too kindly," Matsumoto's voice replied, just as quietly. There was a moment of silence.

"Do you think she's hearing all this right now? I mean, she's just in Hitsugaya Taicho's room over there," Rukia whispered, a hint of panic in her tone.

"I don't think so. She should be asleep by now," Matsumoto answered, but there was doubt in her voice. "But anyway, there has to be something we can do. We can't let Hinamori get away with this... this absurdity. She's going way too far,"

"I agree. But what can we do? Steal the photos? She'll notice them missing the instant she wakes up," Rukia argued. "Then she'll frame Karin,"

"You're right... But there _must_ be a way to help that poor girl. For someone her age, Karin's going through way too much. I mean, seriously. Rape?" Matsumoto snapped, a little sharply. Another silence.

"Maybe we could talk her out of it?" Rukia suggested.

"I doubt that would work. Hinamori is the kind of girl who would do anything to get what she wants. And if that means getting Karin to stay away from Taicho, she'll use whatever means possible." Matsumoto sighed.

"Honestly, that overpossessive nature of hers is so troublesome! Karin is only nineteen! Hinamori Fuku-Taicho doesn't have to go so far as to plot _rape_ just to get her away from Hitsugaya Taicho!" Rukia grumbled. Silence again.

"You know, I think we should sort things out first. Karin only has to endure two more days. It can't be that bad right?" Matsumoto said, attempting to sound more cheery.

"Actually, I think it'll be worse. That usually happens," Rukia muttered.

"Oh. Right, of course," Matsumoto said awkwardly. A thicker silence fell.

"We should go to bed now," Rukia said.

"Yeah. Good night Rukia. Let's sort this out tomorrow," Matsumoto agreed. Then there was the soft tapping of feet, and silence. Hinamori pulled back from the door, her fists clenched.

Karin told them.

 _That slutty bitch told them about my deal, and my plans._

 _I can't forgive her._

Then Hinamori smiled, a hard, cold smile, void of any happiness or warmth. _She has two more days doesn't she? Then I'll make sure she pays for not keeping her mouth shut. I'll make sure she suffers the worst hell anyone has ever been through._

 _I will torture her. I will kill her a hundred times over. I will make her grovel at my feet, cry, and beg for mercy._

 _I will humiliate her so much so that she wouldn't dare to show her face to the world ever again._

Hinamori glanced towards the slumbering figure of her beloved childhood friend. _Shiro-chan is mine. He is mine. He is MINE. Shiro-chan belongs to no one else but ME._ She took out the stack of photos which she had stashed in a hidden compartment of the closet. Looking at the contents, she gave a sinister smirk.

 _I know just the perfect plan._

 _Just you wait Kurosaki Karin. I'm going to make you regret ever going near Shiro-chan in the first place._

* * *

Ichigo watched as Byakuya quietly sipped his tea, his eyes closed. They were in the living room, Renji snoring on the sofa beside them.

"Say, Byakuya," the Substitute began, intrigued by something. It had been bothering him for a while, but he never could find the time to ask the Kuchiki noble without alone and personally. "You never did tell us the reason why you came,"

Byakuya continued to drink his tea, silent. "Is it necessary for me to tell you?" He finally said, setting down his cup. Ichigo frowned.

"Well yeah! You just suddenly come in, give me the extension thingy then say that some of the guys have to leave, and stay here instead!" He snapped, agitated. Byakuya didn't reply. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Well? There's something else isn't there? Something more than going down here and helping us?"

"You are correct Kurosaki Ichigo," the Kuchiki noble replied after a moment of tense silence. Renji grunted in his sleep, muttering as he shifted. "There is indeed something else," Byakuya's indigo gaze met the Substitute's own brown one.

"It is the fact that this team has not given a single report until I came here,"

Ichigo's eyes widened. "What? But that can't be!" He spluttered, shocked.

"I have personally asked Hitsugaya Taicho while I was... supposedly guarding him. He told me that Kazuko Rinei was the one responsible for handing in the reports every two days, but the fact that there has been no word for almost a month means that there is something else going on." Byakuya said severely. "Kazuko Rinei is not who he appears to be,"

"How do you know that?" Ichigo asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"The reason why I was sent here when there was already two captains leading this team is to check on them and their status, in case something happened," Byakuya explained solemnly. "Hitsugaya Taicho has been saying that Kazuko Rinei is one of his most trusted officers, and that he has been reporting, but we have never received any reports,"

"To add to that, I have been observing Kazuko Rinei, and it appears that instead of reporting, he has been making calls every two nights," Ichigo's brows shot up in confusion and alarm.

"To who?" He asked, intrigued.

"That, I do not know. But I _do_ know that Kazuko Rinei, despite all the positive comments that Hitsugaya Taicho has given about him..." Byakuya's indigo eyes gleamed in the dark, moonlight shining on his face.

"Cannot be trusted,"

* * *

Hitsugaya put on his school uniform, buttoning it up and slipping on his jacket. It had been a while since he last went to the school. He would have to come up with a good excuse for his long absence.

The ice captain sighed. It was the nearing the end of the month. Things have quietened down a bit, with no sign of the Unknowns since the last attack. He glanced down at his body, aware of the bandages wrapped all around his torso, arms and legs.

Shuddering, Hitsugaya left the room, heading down the stairs. He was greeted by Matsumoto, strangely dressed in pajamas.

"Taicho~!" His vice-captain called out, and jumped at him. Hitsugaya quickly side-stepped out of the way, but was caught by surprise when Matsumoto's arm grabbed him and dragged him down.

 _What the hell-_

His head slammed onto the edge of the last step, sending an alarming shock of pain up his head and through his body. Hitsugaya flinched. Dazed, he lay there paralysed, the back of his head throbbing and his skin tingling.

"Eh? Taicho, are you alright?" Matsumoto's voice said, and Hitsugaya blinked, groaning.

"Not at all," he grunted, glaring at his vice-captain, who was sitting on him. Matsumoto grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry Taicho! I only wanted to hug you, but you avoided me," she snickered, getting up. She offered her hand, and Hitsugaya took it, slightly wobbly.

"You don't have to hug me you know? And anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you stayed in Inoue Orihime's house," he snapped, looking at her pajamas. Matsumoto shrugged.

"Can't I stay in the same house as Taicho?" She asked, giggling. "Anyway, go have some breakfast. You're going to be late soon,"

Hitsugaya gently touched the back of his head, and winced when he felt a bump. It hurt. "Don't ever do that again Matsumoto. I might get a concussion," he sighed, staring at his vice-captain sternly. Matsumoto smiled widely.

"Of course! Now go, go!" She pushed him towards the dining table, where Yuzu and Rukia was seated. Byakuya was there too, for some reason.

"Kuchiki? What are you doing here?" Hitsugaya asked the Kuchiki noble, bewildered. Byakuya gave him a look.

"I am staying here as well," he replied simply. Hitsugaya gave a small awkward smile.

 _I should've known that..._

He sat down, and stared at the food in front of him. _Cereal... Hmm, pretty simple,_ he thought, taking his spoon. Then Karin came down, slightly pale and dazed. She blinked wearily. "Good morning..." she muttered, and yawned. Hitsugaya turned to give her a quizzical look.

"Not enough sleep?" He asked. Something flashed in Karin's eyes- guilt?- and she shrugged.

"I guess," the soccer girl mumbled. She took a seat, the furthest one from Hitsugaya, and began munching on her food, silent.

"Is there a problem Karin?" Hitsugaya asked worriedly. Karin didn't even glance at him when she shook her head.

"Nuffing's wrong," she mumbled through her spoon as she took another bite. Hitsugaya frowned, but said nothing.

"Are you sick? Or did something happen in school yesterday?" He asked again, trying to figure out why Karin was acting like she was. "Did Tadashi harass you? Perhaps that Sanjo Hishiri did something..." He tried to find the right word. "Perverted?"

Karin stiffened, and she lowered her head even more, her shoulders tensed up. "Nothing happened..." she mumbled, a little sharply, and stood up, her breakfast only half-eaten. "I'm done. I'm leaving now," She turned on her heel and grabbed her bag, before leaving the house with a slam of the front door.

Leaving a very befuddled Hitsugaya behind.

* * *

Karin clutched at her stomach, feeling it throb painfully. Her thighs were aching. Her head spun and left her with a nauseous feeling. She grimaced at the memory of Hishiri continuously pounding his fingers into her... His teeth biting her... His tongue running over her skin like she was food.

It was the last day of Hinamori's deal, and the previous day had been hell. The 5th Division Vice-Captain had extended the time limit to _four hours_. Four hours for Hishiri to touch her all over. Four hours of having to service the bully. It was definitely _hell._

And Hinamori had said that the last day would be even worse.

Hishiri would be seriously raping her. By _f*cking_ her.

Karin wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Autumn was coming, and very soon winter would arrive. She felt cold, both inside and out.

"Karin!" Came a familiar voice, then there was the thumping of footsteps as someone ran to her. She turned around and saw Hitsugaya approaching.

 _Oh Toushiro..._

The ice captain caught up, barely out of breath. "Are you really alright?" He asked, his tone anxious. Karin avoided looking at him, nodding.

"Why won't you look at me then?" He asked. Karin bit her lip, and turned back, walking again. "Karin!" Hitsugaya grabbed her hand, and she flinched.

He was _warm_. Karin nearly felt tempted to cuddle with him, but refrained herself. _Stupid, stupid stupid! He won't like it._ Then she scolded herself again for thinking that. _I musn't be negavtive. Rangiku-san already told me._

Hitsugaya was staring at her, his teal eyes filled with his worry, confusion and sadness. "Please, tell me what's wrong Karin. If there's something troubling you, it doesn't hurt to at least let it out," he said, a little desperately.

"I said nothing's wrong!" Karin snapped, a little too harshly. Hitsugaya flinched at her tone, his eyes clouding with hurt. He slowly let go of her hand, and Karin resisted the urge to fling herself at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go to school." She huffed, and stride away quickly, once again leaving an upset Hitsugaya behind.

 _Sorry Toushiro. I can't let you know about this. You'll hate me forever,_ Karin thought, clenching her fists as she walked to school. _But I shouldn't have said that so harshly... Should I apologise to him?_ Her steps faltered.

 _No, I shouldn't. He'll think something's wrong with me. He'll think I'm having mood swings. Then he'll find me weird,_ she sighed inwardly.

Karin felt conflicted. She wanted to let out her frustration, but she couldn't. No one could find out about what she and Hitsugaya did together. _No one._ Hinamori would frame her with the photos she got as evidence.

Eventually she reached her school, and found herself being approached by Hishiri. _Now what does he want?_

"Oi, Kurosaki," the bully grinned and Karin saw his fingers flex. She shuddered, instinctively tightening her legs together and wrapping her arms around herself.

"What do you want?" She snapped, glaring at the thug. Hishiri grinned and grabbed her arm.

"Come with me for a while. Until first period starts," he chuckled, eyes gleaming hungrily, and dragged Karin off to a deserted corner of the school, at the back near the field. He shoved her to the wall, then suddenly grabbed at her breasts and began fondling them.

"W-what are you... Ah...!" She gasped as Hishiri squeezed hard.

"Hinamori-san said that since today's the last day I can touch you anywhere I want, she decided to make it more special, for both you and me." The bully said as he unbuttoned Karin's uniform, much to her surprise and embarrassment. He pressed at her tips through her bra, causing Karin to flinch.

"She said that you would pretend to fall ill while in class for first period, so that you'll undoubtedly have to be sent home. But instead of going home, you'll go here, since no one else ever comes here, even the teachers." He continued as he slipped a hand under her skirt and began rubbing at her sensitive spot. Karin was beginning to see where it was going.

She trembled as Hishiri tugged down her underwear. _This can't be happening. Hinamori can't be so cruel. Why would she do this?_

Karin felt him slip his fingers into her and breathed heavily, trembling.

"I'm going to skip class too, and meet you here. Why?" Hishiri pushed in hard, and Karin gasped in pain, clutching at her stomach. "Because Hinamori-san said I get to rape you for the entire day," he grinned as he moved his fingers inside her, causing her to use the wall as a support.

"And even f*ck you if I want to,"

* * *

Hitsugaya glanced at Karin for the third time in a row during first period. She was constantly coughing somehow, and looked a bit pale. He felt the urge to ask if she was alright, but refrained himself, knowing she'll probably get pissed instead.

Though he noticed that she kept squeezing her legs.

He frowned to himself, wondering if Karin was sick. She _had_ seemed a little tired in the morning.

Then Karin raised her hand. "Uhm... Sensei?" She asked, rather hoarsely, then coughed. Hanabi turned back from the board where she was writing a mathematical sum.

"What is it Kurosaki?" The teacher asked questioningly. Hitsugaya saw Hinamori smirk, rather slyly, to herself, and wondered why she was doing that. Rukia seemed a little worried.

"I-I'm not feeling too good... Can I go to the nurse's office?" Karin asked hesitantly. Hanabi frowned, but nodded.

"Alright, but if it's nothing too serious, come straight back to class," she instructed, and Karin nodded.

The soccer girl left the classroom, and Hitsugaya watched as she walked down the hallway, a depressed expression on her face. _Just what is wrong with her?_ He wondered, anxiously. _Should I have followed her to check on her?_

 _Damn, Karin. Look what you turned me into._ He smiled to himself, just a small little smile. _You're making me worry too much about you._

As lunch came around, Karin didn't show up. _So she really is sick..._ Hitsugaya sighed. He sat on the roof, with Hinamori pestering him to share her bento with her, while Rin argued about whose lunch was better.

The ice captain ignored them both, taking a sip from his can of soda. "Mou, Shiro-chan! Drinking too much of that stuff is bad for you!" Hinamori pouted. He shrugged, glugging down the drink, feeling it burn down his throat.

He coughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm done. See you in class," he grunted, standing up as he crushed the can in his hands. Before either of the girls could say anything, he left the roof, heading back to class.

"Did you hear? The teachers are raging because Sanjo Hishiri skipped class again," Hitsugaya heard someone whisper to his friend as he walked past.

"Eehh? Really? Why would he suddenly skip class? Year-end exams are coming round," the friend said, shocked.

Hitsugaya pretended to stop and look around for something, while straining his ears to listen to what the two were talking about.

"Well you know, people like him. They don't care much about studies," the first person chuckled.

"Yeah you're right," the other agreed.

Hitsugaya continued to walk, pondering hard. _Sanjo skipped class? That's odd. Karin is sick too... Could it be a coincidence?_

He stopped again, feeling a stab of worry and fear. _It definitely can't be a coincidence. I know that Sanjo is a perverted asshole. He'd want Karin for himself._ He bit his lip, furrowing his brows.

Could _Sanjo be doing something to Karin right now?_

* * *

 _A/N That's the end guys... Yes, poor Karin. I can't believe just how evil I am. ;-; So... It appears that Hinamori had taken charge once more... And we learn something new, and shocking! It seems Kazuko is not who we thought he is... Just who could he be? Next chapter, Hitsugaya and Karin are... ruined! ;-; Look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading guys!_

 ** _Reviews help me work faster and motivate me! Do tell me your thoughts on this story! :3 Thanks guys!_**

 **(P.S. I apologise for any explicit scenes I have put in here. Please forgive me. ;-;)**


	23. FT COH: 22

_A/N I'm back guys! :) In the previous chapter, we find out some new things! Hinamori rampages! Kazuko is hiding a secret! And Hitsugaya and Karin... :'( I actually feel kinda bad doing this. Something happens between them! In this chapter, everything starts falling apart! Happy reading guys! :')_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Hitsugaya fidgeted in his seat throughout the rest of the class.

 _What if that Sanjo is doing something to Karin? What if he hurts her?_ He clenched his fist around his pen. _I won't ever forgive that son of a bitch if Karin gets injured._

 _Damn it, why is time going so slowly?!_

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, school ended. Hitsugaya rushed to pack his things, until he was approached by Hinamori.

"Shiro-chan? You look restless. Is there a problem?" She asked worriedly. Hitsugaya paused, sighing.

"I'm just getting a bad feeling about something..." he muttered, continuing his packing. Then Hinamori grabbed his arm, and he was forced to stop again.

"Is it... Is it about Karin-san?" She asked quietly, a strange emotion in her eyes. It looked like worry and jealousy mixed into one.

"I... suppose you could say that..." he answered. He raised an eyebrow. "What about it?" Hinamori bit her lip, her grip on his arm growing tighter.

"I think you should stay away from her Shiro-chan," the vice-captain blurted out. Hitsugaya blinked, shocked.

"Why?" He questioned, getting suspicious. He knew that Hinamori was quite possessive of him, but telling him to stay away from the girl he liked? Of course he wouldn't-

"She... she's not what you think she is," Hinamori whispered, putting her hand in her skirt pocket. She fumbled for something, then took out a slip of paper. Or more likely, a photo.

"I... I took this photo secretly. She was... well..." She pursed her lips, and handed the photo to him. Hitsugaya took it, wondering what it was.

Then his eyes widened when he saw the contents, and very nearly dropped the photo. His legs trembled, and he had to sit back on his chair from the overwhelming shock.

The picture showed Karin and Hishiri, with the thug thrusting a hand into the soccer girl and fondling her breasts. Karin's face showed one of pleasure, though her expression was slightly distorted.

But it didn't occur to Hitsugaya that the image was photo-shopped. All he could do was stare at the photo, too astonished to say anything.

"What... What is..." his voice choked, coming out strangled, and he squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. He put the photo face down on his table, unable to look at it any longer.

"I'm sorry... I found out about it some time back, but didn't think you would believe me if I told you. So I gathered some evidence. I-" Hinamori explained. Hitsugaya raised a hand to silence her.

"I won't believe it," he whispered. _Karin wouldn't do this to me. She wouldn't betray me like this._

 _Karin isn't that kind of girl._

"I need to see it for myself. I..." Hitsugaya shakily got up, grabbing his bag.

 _Karin wouldn't let that asshole Sanjo do such things to her._

 _She would fight back._

 _Why didn't she tell me anything? Doesn't she trust me?_

"Shiro-chan, wait!" Hinamori cried out as Hitsugaya stumbled out of the classroom.

 _I have to find her. I need to know whether that picture was the truth._

But somewhere deep down, Hitsugaya had a feeling that no matter how many times he told himself that the picture was a fluke, that Karin wouldn't betray him, it was the downright horrible truth.

His stubborn mind refused to believe it.

He had to see things for himself.

Hitsugaya left the school building, and tried to sense for Karin's reiatsu, if she was still even in the school. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

 _Where are you...?_

Then he sensed it. Karin's reiatsu was somewhere at the back of the school, and it was strangely fluctuating. A sense of foreboding gnawed at his chest as he ran in the direction of her reiatsu.

 _Karin won't betray me. She wouldn't._

 _She's pretty, she's kind, and caring. She's different from the other girls, different from Hinamori or Matsumoto._

 _She doesn't shy away when I approach her. She talks loudly and laughs even when I try to make a bad joke. She..._

 _Karin is..._

Hitsugaya rounded the corner, and heard muffled moaning. Cold blood rushed through his veins.

 _No. No, it can't be her. I won't believe it._

"Karin!" He called out, gasping as his heart thudded against his chest. The moaning got louder as he moved further, the place completely deserted.

 _Karin is..._

He turned, grabbing at the edge of the wall. "Ka-!"

 _Karin is...!_

"-rin...?" Hitsugaya whispered quietly as he took in the sight in front of him. There was Karin, completely naked, a gag in her mouth. And behind her was Hishiri, smirking as he sweated. And the most astonishing thing was that he was f*cking Karin.

Karin's eyes widened when she saw Hitsugaya, standing at the corner, clutching at the wall for support. Hishiri looked up, and grinned when he too spotted the ice captain there, wordlessly watching, his face ash grey.

"Hey freak. Like what you see?" Hishiri pulled Karin up from where she was kneeling on the ground and gave a little thrust. Karin moaned, wincing, her eyes continuously trained on Hitsugaya's face. Hishiri fondled one of Karin's breasts, and the soccer girl gasped through her gag.

Hitsugaya looked away, gritting his teeth. The whole world seemed to crash down on him.

 _Karin is... a bitch._

He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger and shame rushing through his body.

 _I fell in love with a slut._

Hitsugaya looked at the soccer girl, unable to hide his rage-filled, heartbroken expression. Karin's eyes seemed to turn glassy, just for a moment, before she squeezed them shut and kept silent, even as Hishiri pinched at her tips.

"Oh you know, Kurosaki here has f*cked a whole lot more guys before," Hishiri suddenly said. Hitsugaya blinked, defeated. _Is that true?_ Karin's eyes flew open, a look of shock and horror on her face.

Hitsugaya lowered his head again, leaning against the wall, silent. _So it is._

 _You never loved me, didn't you Karin?_

 _I'm such a fool._

Looking at Hishiri hungrily suck on one of Karin's tips, right in front of him, Hitsugaya felt another surge of betrayal and fury. He took a step forward, biting his lip.

"What, you want some of her too?" Hishiri smirked, then pushed a few fingers into Karin. The soccer girl winced, hanging her head. Hitsugaya didn't respond, instead continuing to move closer.

Then once he was directly in front of them, smashed his foot into Hishiri's face.

Hishiri flew back, letting go of Karin, and slammed into the wall, where he lay slumped and unconscious. Hitsugaya turned away.

He hated seeing Hishiri fingering and touching Karin right in front of him. It only made him feel even worse.

Karin let out a muffled sound, trying to untie her gag, as Hitsugaya staggered away, not wanting to be near her.

"Toushi-" she finally gasped out, standing up.

"Don't come near me," Hitsugaya whispered. His heart felt like it was splintering apart, and he bit his lip, wincing at the thudding ache in his chest.

"Wait, please-" Karin started desperately, moving forwards.

"Shut up. I said don't come near me," he said harshly, clenching his fists. Karin stopped.

"Don't you ever come near me. Ever again," Hitsugaya's voice trembled at the last word, and he mentally reprimanded himself for being so weak. _I'm a fool. A fool, a fool._

 _That's why Karin didn't want to talk to me. She didn't want me knowing about this._

 _So she can continue to use me for her fun._

"I'm just another one of your toys, aren't I? I don't mean anything to you," he swallowed. His chest ached, an excruciating pain. It was even worse than being wounded by the Unknowns. Even worse than having his reiatsu sucked away.

He bet that if his pain sensitivity was raised right at this moment, he would have already died from heart break.

"Toushiro, please-" Karin begged. Did he imagine it, or was her voice breaking into sobs?

 _I'm hearing things. Karin's just acting._

But his stupid heart still softened at hearing her sound all teary.

"Shut up!" He snapped, forcing himself to scream at her, tilting his head slightly to the back. He didn't even want to look at her. Disgust, rage, and sadness filled him from top to bottom, and his legs unwillingly trembled.

"Don't talk to me. Don't come near me. I don't even want to look at you anymore," he forced his voice not to shake, not to crack. He couldn't let Karin see how upset he was.

"I can't believe I fell for a whore like you," he said softly, then turned back and ran, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes, the pain banging in his chest. His head felt like it could explode.

Completely caught up in his own pain and thoughts, Hitsugaya didn't hear Karin's cries of sadness and agony.

* * *

Hitsugaya lugged his feet towards the Kurosaki residence, absently taking the longer route back. As much as he now hated the idea of living in the same house as Karin, he had no other place to go.

He didn't feel like free loading at Urahara's Shop, nor did ne want to stay with Matsumoto and Hinamori at Inoue Orihime's house.

He just wanted to be alone.

 _I called Karin a whore._

 _She'll hate me for it._

It was pathetic how he was still clinging to the possibility that Karin was raped. Hinamori had shown him that photo, and he was very sure that Karin looked like she had been enjoying herself.

 _I loved her. And this is how she shows her thanks._

 _I should be hating her now. Why can't I hate her?_ His insides still fluttered whenever he thought of Karin's smiling face.

He bit down hard on his lip, stopping in his tracks. _Why do I still have feelings for her?_

 _Stop it. Stop_ loving _her. You're supposed to hate her, Hitsugaya Toushiro, you fool._

 ** _"Master,"_**

Hitsugaya started at the sound of his beloved Hyourinmaru's voice echoing in his head.

 _Hyourinmaru..._

 ** _"Master, do think for a moment."_**

 _About what?_

 ** _"Karin,"_**

The ice captain flinched at how coolly his Zanpakuto said the soccer girl's name, and shook his head.

 _I don't want to._

 ** _"I meant about how she had reacted when she saw you. And the picture Hinamori Momo showed you,"_**

 _Hyourinmaru, please. Not now._

 ** _"... It's raining, Master,"_**

Hitsugaya felt confused, and looked up. But the skies were clear.

 _ **"The ice is breaking Master. The rain is acid. It's burning everything,"**_

 _What are you talking about Hyourinmaru? It isn't raining._

 ** _"In here Master. Your inner world is breaking,"_**

Hitsugaya couldn't help but fall silent. He knew his companion hated the acid rain that fell in his inner world whenever he got demoralised or extremely upset.

 _... I'm sorry._

 ** _"There is no need to be. You only need some rest Master, to clear your head,"_**

 _Yes..._

Hitsugaya's eyelids began to droop as he dragged himself to walk. He did feel tired.

 _Hyourinmaru._

 ** _"Yes Master?"_**

 _Could you keep talking to me? About anything, as long as it isn't about... Anyway, I'm afraid I might fall asleep while I'm walking._

 ** _"Very well Master,"_**

Hitsugaya listened to Hyourinmaru's rumbling voice. It was soothing as he walked back to the Kurosaki residence, getting his mind off Karin's heartbreaking betrayal.

The skies suddenly rumbled overhead, and a drop of rain splattered on him.

 _It's raining._

 ** _"So it seems Master. Do hurry back. With you in such a state, you might catch a cold. And you know how dangerous that is,"_**

 _I know Hyourinmaru. I know._

Hitsugaya quickened his pace slightly, but it didn't stop the rain as it began to fall from the sky in buckets, instantly drenching him.

By the time he reached the residence, night had fallen, and he stood at the front door, hand hovering over the doorbell.

 _ **"What are you waiting for Master?"**_

 _I'm scared._

 ** _"Of what?"_**

 _I'm scared I'll see her._

 ** _"Don't be Master. Just go on,"_**

Hitsugaya relented and pressed the bell once. There was an instant thumping of footsteps, and the door burst open, revealing Karin, her eyes strangely swollen red. She opened her mouth to speak when she saw him, but Hitsugaya merely brushed past her, entering the house dripping wet.

"Toushiro, please just listen to me!" She said, grabbing at his arm.

"Don't touch me. I thought I told you not to come near me again," he answered quietly. Karin froze, her eyes wide with hurt and guilt. She let go of his arm, and he made a deliberate motion of brushing the spot she had touched him, like brushing off dirt. Her eyes filled with pain even more, and she hung her head in shame.

He felt a twinge of guilt at doing that, but forced himself to move on, into the living room. There, he found Matsumoto waiting, a towel in hand.

Immediately she launched herself at him when he entered, throwing the cloth over his head and madly ruffling his hair with it, trying to dry it.

"Matsumoto, stop it." Hitsugaya mumbled, but made no effort to stop her manually. His vice-captain adamantly continued, like a mother drying her child after a bath.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Taicho. You might get sick, in the state you are now," she said gently. Hitsugaya swayed, and leaned against the wall for support. He dropped his wet bag, closing his eyes as he let Matsumoto dry up his hair.

"Oi Toushiro," Ichigo's voice drifted into his ears, and Hitsugaya cracked open an eye to see the Substitute staring at him solemnly. He closed it again, sighing.

"What is it?" He mumbled tiredly.

"Kazuko-san... Is he... Really trustworthy?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya opened his eyes again, giving the orange-head a quizzical look.

"Of course he is," he answered.

"Did Byakuya tell you that Kazuko-san hasn't been giving in your reports? I mean, you _were_ supposed to investigate on the Unknowns right?" Ichigo said.

"... We were. And... Kuchiki did tell me about it," Hitsugaya whispered, remembering the conversation he had with the Kuchiki noble.

* * *

 _"Hitsugaya Taicho, do you know why I am here?" Byakuya asked, a solemn look on his face. Hitsugaya blinked wearily at him._

 _"No, why?" He answered._

 _"Your team has not been handing in the reports,"_

 _"But that can't be! Kazuko was the one who was supposed to hand them in. And he told me he was doing exactly that!" Hitsugaya exclaimed, shocked. Byakuya gazed at him severely._

 _"I apologise, but he has been not. Seireitei has not received a single report from you since you left at least two months ago,"_

 _Hitsugaya frowned. "Then I'll send one right away. Just to tell them we're all fine,"_

 _"There is no need to. I have already sent a report about your status. The one you need to send now is about the information you have gathered about the beasts who have attacked you. That was your primary mission, was it not?" Byakuya said. Hitsugaya nodded, sighing._

 _"I'll send one now then..."_

* * *

"So what are you going to do?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm going to ask Kazuko what he's doing when he's supposed to send the reports. I need to know why he lied to me," Hitsugaya murmured softly. His vision blurred, his head spinning in circles. Slowly, he pushed himself off the wall, tripping over his own feet.

"Taicho, don't push yourself. You're tired," Matsumoto said worriedly. Hitsugaya shook his head, then his knees buckled, and he collapsed. Ichigo just barely managed to catch him.

"Oi Toushiro! Hang in there for the moment okay?" Ichigo said. Hitsugaya gave a small nod, his mind whirling in a dizzy madness.

"Kurosaki... I can't..." he whispered hoarsely, then his vision darkened, the spot of consciousness slowly fading away into nothingness. Someone shook him, yelling into his ear.

His body burned with an uncomfortable fire. But on the inside, he was shivering.

 _It hurts..._ He thought, as he drifted into an uneasy sleep. His chest ached with a dull pain, agony exploding in his head, the darkness around him spiralling crazily. An icy storm raged throughout his body, chilling him to the bones.

 _... Help me..._

 _... Kaa-chan..._

 _... It's cold..._

* * *

 _A/N I'm done guys! Aye yes, I think I cried while typing this... I feel very bad right now. :( Anyway, there you go guys! Hitsugaya might actually be sick! :O Next chapter, things go from bad to worse for Karin, both in school and at home! Hinamori laughs it all away! Thanks for reading guys! Look forward to the next chapter! :)_

 ** _Reviews help me to work faster, so do review and tell me what you think if this story! Thanks for reading guys! :3_**


	24. FT COH: 23

_A/N Hey guys! I'm back again! :3 In the previous chapter... Things go bad between Hitsugaya and Karin! ;-; And it seems that our ice prince is getting a little sick! :O In this chapter, a few Vizards make their appearance! And Karin suffers even more! ;-; H-happy reading guys! ;-;_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Hirako yawned, picking at his ear. "So? Ya gonna come or what?" He said, turning to look at the short yellow-haired girl with pigtails beside him. Hiyori Sarugaki scowled, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

"I ain't gonna. Don't wanna meet that cocky ice bastard," she stuck out her tongue at Hirako. The 5th Division Captain sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"What 'bout ya Lisa?" He asked Lisa Yadomaru, who was engrossed in reading a porn book.

"No thank you," she said, pushing up her spectacles and not even looking up.

"Hachi?" Hirako tried, glancing at the large purple-haired man. Hachigen Ushoda shook her head apologetically.

"My apologies Shinji. I am busy for now," he said. Hirako looked at the last remaining Vizard, Love Aikawa.

"Sorry. Not in the mood," Love said, sniffing, as his dark sunglasses gleamed.

"I come back after a shit lon' time and find out that ya guys have some info 'bout the monsters we're huntin' down, but ya all don't wanna come with me to share it?" Hirako snapped, feeling frustrated. The four Vizards nodded.

"Tch, fine then. I'll just call 'em over here," he grumbled, and took out his soul phone. Dialling Hitsugaya's number, he waited for the ice captain to answer.

After the fourth ring the call was picked up.

"Oi, Hitsugaya Taicho-" Hirako began, then paused, raising an eyebrow. "Ichigo? What, what's the problem?" He listened for a moment, then his eyes grew wide.

"Sick?" He gasped, looking up at his fellow Vizards. They were staring at him, shocked as well.

"Hitsugaya's sick? But that ain't good!" Hirako spluttered, beginning to pace. "When a Shinigami falls ill, that'll put his life in extreme danger, 'cause Shinigami don't get sick easily! How did that even happen?" He demanded.

"He walked in the f*ckin' rain?! Ain't he still wounded?!" Hirako nearly screamed into the phone.

"Alright I'll be over soon," he said after a moment, then snapped his phone shut. He looked at his companions. "Well ya heard the conversation. Gotta run now. I'll be back-"

"From what I hear, it seems that Hitsugaya Taicho is injured. I shall accompany you Shinji," Hachi said, getting up from where he was seated.

"I'm goin' too. They need someone who can teach them how to deal with those beasts quickly," Love got up as well, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"Me too," Lisa said, finally looking up from her book.

"I bet ya just wanna see Hitsugaya naked eh?" Hirako smirked, then glanced at Hiyori, who was scowling.

"I still ain't going!" She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. Hirako stuck out his tongue at her, pulling down one eye.

"Then you'll be here alone," he teased. Hiyori threw one of her slippers in the air and smacked Hirako's face with it.

"Don't gimme that jackload of crap! Someone's bound to stay! Like Lisa!" Hiyori glanced over at the girl. "Going there just to see him naked ain't important!"

"I am still going. Love would need an assistant," Lisa sniffed, not denying the fact that she was going just to see Hitsugaya shirtless. Hiyori grumbled.

"Fine, I'm going too," she huffed. Hirako smirked, his face bruised from getting smacked.

"Afraid to be alone aren't ya?" He sneered, blowing a raspberry at her. Hiyori attacked him with her sandal again.

"You two are so childish sometimes..." Love muttered, shaking his head.

"Eh, let's go then," Hirako puffed out after squabbling with Hiyori and getting two new bruises.

"Wait," Lisa pushed up her spectacles and went into one of the store rooms of the garage the Vizards stayed in. She pushed out a large, covered cage, which let out some hissing sounds. "We'll use _this,_ " she smirked. "For the training,"

* * *

Karin hesitantly entered Ichigo's room, where Hitsugaya was sleeping in. Matsumoto was there, with Hinamori, Kazuko, Renji, Rukia, Byakuya and Ichigo himself. The room was quite crowded now.

Hitsugaya lay on Ichigo's bed, gasping for breath, and perspiring. His eyes squeezed tightly as he groaned, tilting his head here and there. The cool cloth on his forehead had to be changed frequently.

Karin felt ashamed. Hitsugaya had seen her getting raped by Hishiri, and thought that she had been using him as a toy. Her heart had broken clean into two when he had called her a whore. She pursed her lips, looking to the ground. Her thighs ached, and she could still feel Hishiri's hands all over her body, his fingers piercing into her.

 _He deserves to be angry. I didn't tell him about this. I didn't apologise to him when I was rude to him this morning. And... he's right about me being a whore._ Tears welled up in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut. _I let Hishiri do whatever he wanted with me. I let Hinamori control me. I'm a weakling._

 _I can't do anything by myself._

Her chest ached. _I_ _don't deserve him at all. He's too good for me, far too good._

Karin stared at Hitsugaya's limp figure, a stab of guilt rushing up her veins. _Was it my fault that he got sick too? Did I make him so upset that he decided to walk out in the rain, even though his wounds haven't healed completely?_

She pursed her lips tighter, trying to push down the sob that was rising up her throat. _I'm sorry Toushiro._

 _I'm sorry for everything._

Then the doorbell rang. "That must be Hirako," Ichigo said, looking up from where he had been looking at Hitsugaya anxiously.

"I'll get it," Karin said. She just wanted to get away from everything. Before anyone could say anything, she ran out, rushing down the steps. Yuzu was already at the front door by the time she reached it.

"Ah Karin-chan! Nii-chan's friends came over!" Yuzu exclaimed, somewhat excitedly.

"Friends? Not one friend?" Karin asked, puzzled. Shouldn't it only be the 5th Division Captain? Karin glanced out, and her jaws dropped.

Hirako was standing at the doorstep, grinning broadly. Beside him were two girls, one rather short with pigtails, and the other with spectacles. There were two huge men behind him, one with short purple hair and the other wearing shades. There was also a suspicious cage sitting on the lawn, and it shook slightly. Something was in there.

"W-who are you?" Karin gaped, staring at the newcomers.

"Oi oi, you gonna leave some guests standin' outside 'ere waitin'?" Hirako laughed. Karin blinked then quickly invited them into the house, embarrassed that she had forgotten her manners.

"Where's Ichigo?" Hirako asked her. Karin pointed up, trying not to stare at the unusual appearances of the others. But then again, weren't all Shinigami funny-looking?

Hirako proceeded to march up the stairs, and the others followed, Karin trailing behind them slowly.

"Oi Ichigo! Where's Hitsugaya?" Hirako demanded as he slammed open the door. Ichigo turned.

"Oh Hira-" he paused when he spotted the short yellow-haired girl, who was scowling. "Hiyori?!" Then the other three people went in, cramping the space even more, until Rukia had to sit inside her closet room, head poking out, with Byakuya, his legs hanging out.

"Why are Lisa, Love and Hachi here too?!" Ichigo spluttered, pointing with an accusing finger at Hirako. "My room's about to explode!"

"Blame your room for being so small then you baldy!" Hiyori snapped, lashing a foot out at the Substitute. Ichigo was sent flying backward, knocking into his bed.

"Oh shi-!" He was cut off when Matsumoto yanked him away from it, just seconds away from crashing onto Hitsugaya.

"Oh. There he is," Hirako said, his smirk turning into a concerned frown. "Hachi here will help in healing him," he said, jerking his thumb towards the purple-haired man, who was occupying a rather large space of the room.

Hachi moved forwards, towering over Hitsugaya.

The ice captain was groaning still, his nose scrunched up in pain, his shoulders tensed and twitching. "May I see the wounds?" Hachi asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. Matsumoto moved forward and began slowly taking off Hitsugaya's newly changed clothes, which they had put on him after removing his drenched uniform.

His bandaged torso came into view, the bandages quite loose. With the gentle touch of a mother, Matsumoto began unwrapping them, and revealed a horribly scarred chest, with some of the wounds still slightly open and swollen red. The skin was cracked, and in some gashes pus had formed.

Karin tore her eyes away. She couldn't bear to see Hitsugaya in such a state.

There were bite marks on his arms and waist, as well as a serious one on his neck. Blood had begun to ooze out of the wounds on his neck. Hitsugaya shivered, twisting his body. He curled up into a ball, trembling violently. A whimper escaped his lips as he gasped for air.

"This is quite serious," Hachi mused, then turned to the other Shinigami. "I would need all of you to leave,"

"But-" Hinamori started, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Don't worry Momo. Hachi 'ere will take good care of 'im, won't ya Hachi?" Hirako assured, putting a hand on his vice-captain's shoulder. Hachi nodded, turning back to Hitsugaya. Hinamori still looked unsure, but nodded.

"I will put up three layers of barrier in case something happens," Hachi said. Hirako nodded, then ushered everyone out.

"Now then, let's get on with the training," Love said, once they were outside of the house. A light shone, and suddenly the house was enveloped in a glowing orange light, before it faded. Karin figured that the barriers were invisible.

"What training?" Renji asked, curious.

"And what's this cage?" Rukia asked, trying to peer under the cloth covering the cage, which had been sitting outside the whole time.

The cage suddenly rattled, and a ferocious hiss came from it. Rukia jumped back, wide-eyed.

"Is... Is there something inside?" Kazuko whispered, shocked. Lisa nodded, then threw off the covers.

" _Two_ somethings to be exact," she corrected. Everyone stared at what lay in the cage, speechless.

Two Unknowns were squashed in the small cage, hissing and spitting, their huge yellow eyes dilated and filled with fury and hunger.

"How did you get _those_?!" Ichigo gasped. Instinctively, everyone backed away.

"Caught them ourselves. Didn't really have any idea what they were, until Shinji here told us about your mission," Love said, nodding to the 5th Division Captain.

"We're gonna teach you how to fight them effectively," Hiyori said, smirking for once.

"How to fight them?" Matsumoto gasped, a bewildered look in her eyes.

"Yeah. So we don't need a human who can't fight here with us," Hiyori said, and turned to look at Karin.

Karin flinched, and lowered her head. _I'm useless._

"Ok..." she whispered, then turned and began to run. She heard her brother call out for her, but ignored it.

 _I'm just a burden to them. The only reason why I'm still caught up in this whole affair is because I know some things about the Unknowns._

 _But they already know more about those monsters. They know more than I do. I don't have any valuable information I can give them for their mission._ Tears welled in Karin's eyes.

 _Hinamori is probably happy about this. And Toushiro already hates me._ She sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut as she ran. _I don't deserve to mingle with Shinigami. I'm not supposed to anyway._

 _I'm just an ordinary human._

* * *

Karin sighed as she walked to school. She had just spent the entire day yesterday moping around. It was pathetic. _She_ was pathetic. Even though she knew how to fight a little by putting her reiatsu into her kicks, she was nothing compared to Shinigami.

The Shinigami and her brother had come back with the knowledge of how to fight against the Unknowns, having used Urahara's massive underground training centre as the venue for the training. The most effective ways were either by confusing their senses, using shunpo to circle them for example, attacking them with a huge powerful attack like a Hollow's Cero, or having mutiple people come at them from all sides. That explained why Byakuya's Senbonzakura had worked so efficiently against the Unknowns.

By the time reached home, Hachi had finished healing almost all of Hitsugaya's wounds, as his healing abilities were that much stronger than Inoue's. There was still the ice captain's fever to deal with though, but it was slowly decreasing.

Karin sighed, clutching her arm.

She didn't want to go to school but she had to. Exams were coming up, and knowing her intellect she needed to study more often, and not only play soccer. Just as she reached school, the bell for first lessons rang.

 _Oh crap!_

Karin began running through the halls. The students turned and stared when she passed, and strangely, eyes showed disgust. The boys all slunk away from her, some scowling, others just not looking at her. The girls were murmuring amongst each other.

She had no idea why they were acting that way, but chose to ignore it. Soon enough, Karin reached her classroom and pulled open the door, out of breath.

"Oh, if it isn't Kurosaki. You've finally arrived," Hanabi said, where she was standing at the teacher's desk.

"Ah, I'm sorry Sensei. I-" Karin stammered, gasping for air.

"It isn't about your punctuality. You arrived just on time," Hanabi said, her eyes cold. Karin felt her skin crawl and glanced at the rest of the class. They were murmuring with each other, their eyes showing their disbelief and disgust.

"So what is it?" She asked, uncertainly. Hanabi reached for something in front of her behind the desk.

"It's about these," the teacher said, and took out a stack of photos. Karin's eyes widened, shocked. _This can't be happening._

She glanced at Hinamori and saw the vice-captain smirking, her brown eyes glinting maliciously. Rin was smiling too, though she put an effort not to show it.

 _You promised._

Hanabi took out one of the photos, which showed Karin riding on Hishiri, completely naked. There was a slight wall in the front, blocking some parts of it, but it was definitely her.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do with the principal, young lady,"

* * *

Karin sat, quiet, in front of the principal's desk as the principal himself, Otorabashi Hira, looked at her solemnly.

"Can you tell me why you did such things to your fellow schoolmates Kurosaki Karin?" Otorabashi asked, pointing to the photos laid out in front of them.

There were six kinds, one showing her touching Hitsugaya's chest during the bathroom setup, another showing her sitting on Hishiri, during one of the hours when he had f*cked her. The other four showed her with four other boys, all of whom were from Hishiri's gang of thugs. During one of the sessions, Hinamori had allowed Hishiri to bring four of his friends to rape Karin simultaneously, just to spice things up.

Karin swallowed, hot tears blurring her vision. Her throat was dry. She couldn't say anything in response.

"Well?" Otorabashi asked, a little more demanding.

"I-I..." she choked. The principal leaned forward. "I was... forced to," Karin sobbed, hanging her head. An image of Hinamori flashed through her mind, smirking and laughing like a witch. Anger curdled her blood.

"Forced to?" Otorabashi questioned, raising an eyebrow. "By whom?"

"By Hinamori Momo. Sh-she blackmailed me," Karin admitted. No more hiding. The truth had to be let out.

"About what?"

"She was jealous that her childhood friend, Hitsugaya Toushiro, was spending more time with me, and wanted me to get away from him. That... that photo of me touching him... It wasn't something sexual. He was hurt after getting into a fight, so I helped him apply some medication." Karin explained, as best as she could.

"Where is this Hitsugaya now?" Otorabashi asked. Karin shook her head.

"He's absent sir..." she whispered, lowering her head.

"For what reason?"

"H-he's got a terribly high fever," she said. It was the truth, in a way.

"Hmm, very well. Go on then,"

"Somehow there was a camera in the bathroom we were in, and Hinamori took hold of the pictures. Then she threatened me that she'd accuse me of rape and abuse if I didn't do what she wanted," Karin continued softly, not looking at the principal. She wanted to hide herself in a deep hole and never come out ever again.

"And that was...?" Otorabashi asked.

Karin gulped. "By letting those boys rape me for two hours for a month. And I couldn't say anything about it... I..." she swallowed hard, sniffling. She hadn't cried this much ever since her mother died when she was around two.

Otorabashi didn't say anything. A silence drifted into the room, the only sounds made were Karin's soft sobs.

"Kurosaki Karin, are you lying to me?"

Karin flinched, eyes wide. _What?_

"According to Sanjo Hishiri, you started this... this _thing_ around a month ago. Then he, Tadashi Rin and Hinamori Momo caught you with other boys, doing the same thing you did with him. Hitsugaya Toushiro was your first victim, stated by Hinamori Momo herself," Otorabashi said, eyeing her.

"But-" Karin began, protesting. Hinamori _lied._

"That's not true! I-"

"Where is your evidence then?" The principal asked sternly.

Karin grew silent. She had no evidence to prove that she was innocent. She bit her lip, staying silent. Otorabashi sniffed.

"Although your explanation sounds reasonable, you cannot provide me with any evidence that you are telling the truth. Many of the students have already voiced out their opinions on what to do with you," he paused, looking at Karin in the eye.

"They want you to be expelled," Karin gasped, shocked.

"I do not wish to do it though, and thus I will have to suspend you from school for two weeks, to think about what you have done,"

"But sir-" Karin started, despairing.

"You are dismissed," Otorabashi said. "I will have to inform your father about this. He will be extremely disappointed,"

"Please don't," she whispered, breaking into sobs.

"Pardon me?" The principal narrowed his eyes.

"Please don't tell him. My-my family is already going through some troubles. I don't want to add to that," she begged. It was true, somewhat. Ichigo was already trying to do his part-time job as frequently as possible while trying to stay at home to watch Hitsugaya. Yuzu was fine, except with the added amount of guests, she had to work more. And Isshin was treating Hitsugaya and his few patients who come to him for medication.

The Kurosaki household was hectic.

"I'm afraid I still have to. This incident-"

Karin burst out, wailing loudly. She flew from her seat and rushed out of the office, barging past a few teachers who stared after her, bewildered.

 _Why does this have to happen to me?_

Karin ran out of the school, barreling past the few students who were changing classes. They murmured to each other as they watched her go, eyes filled with hate and disgust.

 _What did I do to make this happen?_

She ran down the streets, tears trailing down her cheeks. Hinamori's malicious laugh echoed through her head, together with Rin's constant mockery and taunts.

 _"You're such a slut!"_ They had called her as they watched Hishiri f*ck her.

 _Is it wrong to love someone?_ Hitsugaya's handsome, soft-smiling face flashed through her mind. His teal eyes were filled with warmth and happiness, his cheeks dusted with a faint embarrassed blush. Then that image was gone, replaced with him gazing at her, his expression heartbroken and betrayed. Distant.

 _"I can't believe I fell for a whore like you,"_ He had said, straight into her face. It made her feel like tearing her heart out.

All the suffering she had gone through was wasted. Hinamori didn't keep her promise in the end.

Karin couldn't believe just how gullible she was.

Then she tripped over her feet, crashing to the ground. She lay there for a few moments, before slowly pushing herself up, then continued running.

 _I'm so detestable. Maybe that's why I haven't got much friends. Maybe that's why I don't deserve to have a crush. Maybe that's why I'm supposed to be alone._

 _Why was I made this way?_

Karin sobbed. _If only you were still here. If only you could tell me what to do..._

 _Kaa-chan..._

* * *

That night Karin stood beside Hitsugaya's bed. They had moved him to the spare bedroom they had, which Byakuya was occupying with Kazuko. None of the two other Shinigami were there.

Karin thought back to the events that had happened earlier in the morning. She had gone back home in the late afternoon, and had found Isshin and Ichigo there. Isshin had received the call from the principal, and was worried.

* * *

 _"Karin, my dear, are you alright?" Isshin asked. Karin nodded, quietly. She didn't look up from the ground._

 _"It probably explains why you had been acting so weirdly," Ichigo mumbled, his tone a little disappointed. "I never expected you to do this Karin,"_

 _Karin didn't say anything. She didn't want to._

 _"Please Karin, if there's something going on which made you do this, please just let it out," Isshin said._

 _"Did the principal... Tell you everything? About what I did," she whispered finally. Ichigo and Isshin looked at each other._

 _"Not really, only that you had... raped a few of your schoolmates," Ichigo answered. Karin grimaced._

 _"He didn't tell you who they were?"_

 _"... No,"_

 _Karin bit her lip. "I... didn't want to do it," she whispered softly. Both males looked confused. "I was forced to... I... Hinamori..." Sobs choked her voice. Ichigo raised an eyebrow questioningly._

 _"Hinamori-san forced you to rape them?" He asked._

 _"Hinamori told_ them _to rape_ me _!" Karin screamed, finally getting fed up. She just wanted to let it all out. "She blackmailed me! She_ abused _me! She took the pictures from that stupid bathroom setup and threatened to report me for sexually assaulting Toushiro!"_

 _Both Ichigo and Isshin now looked shocked to silence. "Then she said I had to do what she wanted if I didn't want that happening! And I did! I did whatever she said, letting those assholes f*ck me up so bad I couldn't move for nearly an hour!" Karin went on, her voice trembling with rage and pain._

 _"But in the end she lied! She took photos of me getting raped by them! And she said that I was the one raping them! And everyone believes her right away! They don't even hear my side of the story! They don't even care!" She wailed, tears streaming down her face._

 _"Why... Why would she...?" Ichigo asked, still stunned._

 _"She was jealous of me," Karin sobbed, trying to calm down. "She was jealous that Toushiro was spending more time with me than with her," she let out choked breaths. Ichigo's eyebrows shot up._

 _"Are... are you sure? I mean, I know Hinamori-san is possessive of Toushiro, but going this far- that isn't like her at all," he said. Something inside Karin snapped, and she swung her fist, punching her brother in the face._

 _"EVERYONE'S THE SAME! EVERYONE THINKS THAT HINAMORI IS THE ONE IN THE RIGHT! NO ONE CARES ABOUT MY SIDE OF THE STORY! NO ONE CARES ABOUT_ ME _!" She screamed, her throat going dry. The tears spilled out of her eyes like an endless river._

 _"That isn't-" Ichigo began._

 _"THEN WHAT IS IT?! I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ANYMORE!" Karin yelled out, grabbing her brother's collar. She shook him furiously._

 _"JUST BECAUSE HINAMORI LOOKS SWEET AND INNOCENT DOESN'T MEAN SHE CAN'T BE EVIL! JUST BECAUSE I'M A TOMBOY DOESN'T MEAN I'M A F*CKING SLUT!" Karin stared up at her brother desperately._

 _"What's wrong with being with Toushiro?" She whispered softly, her voice breaking. Ichigo's eyes grew wide, his mouth opening. Karin trembled, her legs shaking violently._

 _"What's wrong with spending more time with him?" She slowly let go of her brother's collar, staggering._

 _"What's wrong with loving him...?" Her voice grew strained at that last sentence, and she broke down, dying into sobs and agonized wailing. Falling to her knees, Karin buried her face in her hands. Ichigo crouched down beside her, putting an arm around her, and pulling her into a hug. She cried into his chest, weakly banging her fists against him._

 _"He saw me..." she whispered, sniffling. "He saw me getting raped by Hishiri,"_

 _"He called me a whore," Ichigo patted her back comfortingly, not saying anything. "He hates me now. He'll... He'll... He'll hate me forever,"_

 _"That's enough Karin," Ichigo murmured softly. "I believe you now,"_

 _Karin clenched at her brother's clothes, sobbing. And they sat there, Ichigo listening to her sniffles, and Isshin joining in shortly, hugging them both._

* * *

Karin stared at Hitsugaya's peaceful face, feeling the tears begin to return. They splashed onto his face like soft rain.

"I'm sorry Toushiro..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "I'm sorry for everything. And..." she gulped. "And I don't know whether you're hearing this, but I just wanted to let you know, I..."

The words wouldn't come out.

"I..." she gulped.

"I love you," Karin squeezed her eyes shut, sniffling.

"I've always loved you. Even if you hate me, I'll still love you. Even if you want me to die and go to hell, I'll still love you," she took in a deep breath.

"Because you're the most special boy in my life,"

* * *

 _A/N ... I cried writing this. Longest chapter I've written. Look forward to the next chapter guys... Things will be heating up shortly. :') Thanks for reading!_

 ** _Reviews motivate me to write faster, so please do review and give me your thoughts on this story! Thanks guys!_**


	25. FT COH: 24

_A/N Hey guys I'm back! :) Previous chapter, we went down the lane of feels(I think)! Karin feels upset and abandoned! :'( This chapter, Hitsugaya awakens! What will he do? Happy reading guys! :3_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

"... waking up,"

"What... do?"

"Ne... Oi... Ro,"

What were those noises? Who was talking to him?

Everything hurts.

Everything is burning.

He groaned softly, his eyelids creaking open painfully. An agonizing throb hit his head and he coughed, which worsened the pain even more.

"Don't... self, Tou..." someone muffled voice said to him, ringing loudly in his head.

But it sounded familiar. All too familiar...

"Ku..." he rasped out, slowly blinking his eyes. Blinding orange hair was the first thing he saw through his blurred vision. "Kuro...?"

The voices were getting sharper. "Yeah, it's me Toushiro," Ichigo said softly.

"Where... am I...?" He whispered hoarsely, wincing as his throat hurt.

"In the spare bedroom. You're going to be fine Toushiro. You just need some rest," the Substitute assured.

Hitsugaya's vision began to clear even more, and he found Ichigo's brown eyes staring at him. "What... happened...?" He choked, then burst into a coughing fit, his coughs rattling in his chest.

"Don't push yourself, Taicho," came Matsumoto's voice, and he saw his vice-captain beside Ichigo, watching him anxiously.

"What... happened...?" Hitsugaya repeated, more strongly this time.

"You walked through the rain, and got sick. You still are right now though. It's already been five days since you passed out," Ichigo replied.

"Five...? Rain...?" Hitsugaya echoed, his mind whirling in confusion. Then he remembered.

Karin betraying him. Lying to him. Only using him for her entertainment. Then the feeling of remorse and anger filled his heart once more. Hitsugaya looked away from the two beside him, staring out the window.

It was bright and sunny. Little clouds. A few sparrows flying through the sky.

He sighed softly, raising an arm up to his face, covering his eyes.

"Shiro-chan?" Hinamori's voice said, and he turned to see his childhood friend standing at the doorway.

"Shiro-chan! You're better now!" She cried and happily raced over to his side, hugging him tight. Hitsugaya grimaced, his eyes flickering to Ichigo, and saw the Substitute strangely looking at Hinamori with a sort of furious, disgusted expression. Even Matsumoto seemed disappointed, and looked like she wanted Hinamori to disappear.

"Something... the matter...?" He asked hoarsely, looking at his two conpanions. They gave each other a sideways glance and shook their heads.

"Taicho, just focus on getting better. We'll call the others," Matsumoto said, touching his arm lightly. Then she spun and walked out of the room.

She came back a few minutes later with the other Shinigami, but strangely Karin wasn't there. _That's fine,_ Hitsugaya thought, firmly trying to stop that feeling of disappointment from getting to his head. _She and I were never meant to be anyway. She's a human. I'm a Shinigami. We can't be together. And she doesn't even love me, so why does it matter?_

But his mouth just moved on its own accord. "Where's Karin?"

A silence fell, with Rukia and Matsumoto exchanging meaningful looks at each other, Ichigo smiling slightly, and Hinamori looking like she could murder someone. _They're so strange. Are they hiding something?_

"Karin's... in her room. Taking a nap," Ichigo said with a shrug. Hitsugaya found that highly suspicious, but decided to shrug it off.

"Taicho... Are you really alright?" Kazuko asked worriedly. Hitsugaya nodded, then was reminded of something.

"Kazuko... About... the reports... Why did you lie... to me?" He asked, struggling to sit up. Everything grew tense at once.

"I..." the fourth-seat stammered, eyes darting around. "Uhm..." The ice captain raised an eyebrow.

Then a scratching was heard. Hitsugaya whipped his head around to face the window.

"Wait..." he paused, narrowing his eyes. Ichigo put a hand on his shoulder.

"Toushiro, you ought to stay back," the Substitute said, a frown on his face. He pressed his Substitute Shinigami Badge to his chest, popping out of his body.

"W-what are you doing?" Hitsugaya asked, uncertainly, as Matsumoto suddenly lifted him up like a child. "Put me down Matsumoto!" His vice-captain didn't answer, only moving to the back, while the others, already out of their gigai, moved to the front.

"What's happening..?" He whispered to Matsumoto, looking at her, eyes wide.

"Just wait Taicho," she answered mysteriously. Hitsugaya looked to the group, worried. Byakuya began unsheathing his Zanpakuto.

Ichigo moved forward and opened the window.

And three Unknowns jumped in, hissing and screeching.

"Scatter," Byakuya's indigo eyes glowed. "Senbonzakura,"

His blade scattered into petals, and began attacking the beasts. They screeched, lashing out. Ichigo blocked one, while Renji blocked another. The Kuchiki noble defeated one Unknown, leaving it bleeding and horribly wounded as he moved on to another.

But then one more showed up- through the wall. It ran towards Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, fangs bared. Hitsugaya couldn't move.

 _Damn it._

He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the blow to come. But it didn't.

He opened his eyes a crack. Then they widened.

"M-Matsumoto...?" He whispered, horrified to find his trusted, beloved vice-captain in front of him, defending him. The Unknown had sunk its teeth into her shoulder, and was struggling to move away, but Matsumoto had got it in an iron hold.

"T-Taicho... Are you... Ok?" She asked, giving a strained smile at him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He demanded, anger surging through his veins. Not at Matsumoto for blocking the attack. But at himself, for being so weak.

Matsumoto just continued to smile as she grimaced, fighting back the pain.

Then there was a sudden scream as Hinamori was slashed, her blood spraying to the ground. Byakuya was having difficulty dealing with the Unknowns. Two more had come, and one was heading straight for Hitsugaya.

Matsumoto once again moved in front of her captain, and the Unknown bit her. She held on tightly, biting her lip at the pain.

"M-Matsumoto, stop it! You don't have to-" Hitsugaya started, getting anxious.

"You don't get it Taicho!" Matsumoto snapped, interrupting him.

"I'm doing this as your vice-captain," she whispered. "It's my duty to defend and watch your back, at all times,"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "Matsu..." his voice trailed off. Ichigo got stabbed at, yet was still trying to fight. So were the others, each sporting a wound of their own, except for Byakuya.

 _They're doing this to protect me._

 _Why?_

 _I'm just a friend to them. A Captain._

 _Why are they going so far for me?_

"Enough..." he whispered softly, trembling. Hot red fury roared inside him, building up, more and more. He dug his hand into his pocket for his soul candy.

The fighting still continued, raging on ferociously.

"Enough...!" He repeated, biting his lip. He popped his soul candy into his mouth, and came out of his gigai. Standing up, he clenched his fists. His haori swayed behind him as a gentle breeze carried into the room. Matsumoto was watching her captain with wide eyes, and so were the two Unknowns she grabbed.

Hitsugaya growled.

"I SAID, _ENOUGH_!" He roared, unsheathing his Zanpakuto.

"HYOURINMARU!" Stabbing his blade into the ground, the room instantly froze over, ice breaking through the walls and out of the windows and ceiling.

All actions ceased. Matsumoto quickly let go of the Unknowns, which were now frozen solid. The other Unknowns were frozen too.

Hitsugaya had defeated them all in a swoop, without harming the other Shinigami.

The ice captain breathed heavily, his vision blurring. _Shit, I shouldn't have pushed myself._ He swayed, the ice breaking, the Unknown disintegrating. Then, as he collapsed, he fell into someone's arms.

"You've done well, Taicho. Now just rest," Matsumoto whispered into his ear. He gave a slight nod as she pressed his head to her chest. Hitsugaya's eyes closed tiredly, and the claws of darkness took him back to their black depths once more.

* * *

 _"Kaa-chan, Kaa-chan, why are you crying? Kaa-chan?" A small, white-haired boy asked his mother as she sat at the dining table. The lady smiled at him, a little sadly._

 _"Kaa-chan?" The boy asked worriedly._

 _"Yes, my dear?" The lady replied, a little softly._

 _"Is it because of Tou-chan? Did he make you cry?" He said, looking up at his mother._

 _She shook her head, still keeping that forlorn smile on her face._

 _"It's nothing my dear. I'm just tired," she answered, cupping his cheeks in her palms._

 _"But..."_

The image shifted.

 _A teenaged boy with white hair sat gloomily at the dining table._

 _"Kaa-chan, why is Tou-chan becoming more and more violent? It isn't helping me in my studies, or your work," he said, sighing. His mother blinked, her eye bags visible under her eyes._

 _"He's just frustrated sweetheart. His business isn't going too well, and that's why he's angry all the time," she explained softly. "Just try not to disappoint him in your studies or conduct,"_

 _"But my conduct grade has always been excellent... And I'm always the top of the level for exams," the boy protested, miserably playing with his food. It had gone cold a long time ago, and he didn't feel like eating. "Tou-chan doesn't seem to be happy with me about anything anymore. Even if I made him a cake for his birthday, he wouldn't even eat a single slice."_

 _His mother didn't say anything. She couldn't. There were no words she could say which would be able to lessen the depressed aura wafting about the house._

Again the image changed.

 _"T-Tou... chan...?" A slightly older teenaged boy with white hair stared at his father, who was kicking at his mother on the floor._

 _"You ungrateful bitch!" His father spat, grabbing a fistful of his mother's hair and yanking it. His mother didn't cry out. She just kept quiet._

 _"I feed you, and work hard to earn money while you stay at home! I buy you the things you want so that you can be happy! And now you want a_ divorce _?!"_

 _"Tou-chan, what are you doing?! Stop it!" The boy gasped, dropping his school bag and running to his father._

 _"Shut up you worthless child!" His father snapped, glaring at his son. The boy flinched under his father's baleful gaze, and lowered his head._

 _"This mother of yours wants to get divorced! After everything I've done for her! Can you believe that?!" His father scowled, kicking at his wife again. The boy felt rage rush through his veins and lunged at his father, shoving him away._

 _"Get away from Kaa-chan!"_

 _His father looked shocked at first, then a furious look showed on his expression. "So now you want to leave too, huh, you brat? Now you're taking my hard work and effort in raising you to be the best for granted?!"_

 _The boy froze, suddenly feeling frightened. "T-that's not it Tou-chan... I just..."_

 _His father smirked and grabbed his son's arm. He dragged the boy to the kitchen, where he turned on the stove and watched as the flames flickered hungrily._

 _"You know, the best way to tame a disobedient, ungrateful brat like you is to_ beat _obedience into you. That'll teach you to fight with me," his father smirked, and pushed the boy's hand forward, towards the flames._

 _"T-T-Tou-chan, w-what are you doing? S-stop it please! I-I'm sorry!" The boy begged, struggling to pull his hand back. But his father was strong, and very soon he could feel the overwhelming heat of the flames on his palm._

 _His father grabbed his chin, tilting it so that father and son could meet in the eye. "What's there to be afraid off, little Toshi? Where's the big, fearsome hero from just now?" His father grinned maliciously, a maniacal look on his face._

 _The boy began to panic, watching from the corner of his eye as his hand drew nearer and nearer to the licking fires. "T-Tou-chan please, I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He pleaded. His father made no response._

 _Then with a mighty tug, he pushed the boy's hand onto the flames..._

* * *

Hitsugaya screamed, jolting awake in cold sweat. He bolted upright, breathing hard. Instinctively he clutched at his hand, which was trembling violently.

People began barging into his room.

"Toushiro, what happened?! What is it?!" Ichigo demanded, hurrying to him. Hitsugaya stared at his shaking hand, images of horrible burns twisting their way up his palm flashing through his mind. He clenched it tightly, holding it to his chest.

"A nightmare," he whispered hoarsely, his voice soft and shaking. "I-It was just a nightmare," he repeated again, seemingly more to himself than to the others.

"It wasn't real. It isn't happening right now," he mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut.

"T-Taicho...?" Matsumoto asked, coming forward. His shoulders shook as he pulled his knees up, clenching his fist so hard until his nails dug into his skin.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. It was just a memory," Hitsugaya continued to whisper, oblivious to the people around him.

"Oi Toushiro, are you alright?" Ichigo asked, shaking the ice captain. Hitsugaya flinched, jerking away from the Substitute.

"I-I..." he stammered, clutching his own hand.

"Is there a problem with your hand?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes. Hitsugaya shook his head.

"Nothing... I'm just... I... It was just a nightmare..." he murmured softly, looking away.

"What kind of nightmare?" Hinamori asked, intrigued. Hitsugaya flinched, but kept quiet. Occasionally he rubbed his palm, worried that burns really would appear.

"You're not going to say huh... Well ok then. You should really go back to sleep," Ichigo said, patting his shoulder. Hitsugaya nodded mutedly, not watching as the Shinigami went away. He was left in a defeaning silence, clenching his fist over and over.

 _Tou-chan... tortured me._

He remembered a few other things which his father did. Cutting, more burning, whipping... Hitsugaya shuddered, pulling his covers over his head.

He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't be able to sleep. The nightmare haunted him. He wondered why he hadn't had such a nightmare the previous night, which was the day the Unknowns attacked, then sighed.

 _Kaa-chan..._ he thought to himself, wishing his mother was here. Then he remembered someone who was similar to his mother.

 _Karin?_ Hitsugaya froze. _No, I can't. She betrayed me. I can't trust her._

But images of _his_ beautiful Karin immediately began flashing through his mind- Karin smiling, laughing, eating, teasing him, playing soccer with him. And the best of all, Karin blushing. Hitsugaya felt his face heat up and buried it in his pillow, clutching at the bed covers.

 _Stop thinking about her. She isn't my concern anymore. Stop liking her._

Still the images stayed in his head, getting clearer and sharper each moment. He pressed his head deeper into his pillow, trying to push down the furious blush creeping up his neck.

Had Karin's eyes always been so gorgeous? They were onyx, he knew, but he never noticed that there were swirls of indigo, dark blue and greyish blue in them, blending in perfectly.

Karin's body was the epitome of perfect: with her slim waist, full bosom, and smooth skin. Her bright eyes, sharp nose, and especially those lips of hers.

Hitsugaya thought back to the moment when he had kissed her, and touched his lips. He remembered the softness of her own lips against his. A sudden hunger burned inside him, and he bit his lip, clenching at his covers till his knuckles went white.

 _I can't- I have to-_ Hitsugaya took in a deep breath, trying to get rid of those seductive images of Karin from his head. But yet her full lips kept flashing in his head _oh god bloody hell_.

He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to ravish her, touch her, hold her in his arms and _keep her for himself._

 _It was frustrating._

Then he remembered what Sanjo Hishiri did to her, and a boiling anger surged through his body, sending every nerve jumping, every cell swelling, and it was all from rage.

Hinamori's 'evidence' came into his head and he scowled to himself.

 _Karin couldn't have been seducing me. She never acted like a pretty girl. She was always so confident, brilliant, and gorgeous to me, even though she would be nervous around me at times._

 _I WANT HER._

Hitsugaya paused and looked out the window. Moonlight streamed in, and he squinted, looking at the hundreds of stars dotting the sky. He sighed, slumping on his bed.

 _Now I sound overpossessive. Now I sound MANIC._

Shifting onto his side, he continued to stare at the large moon. It was a full moon, glowing softly.

A feeling of remorse swelled in his chest. _I called her a whore. I'm sure she hates me. I'm sure she won't forgive me._

He closed his eyes, letting the sadness in his heart settle. A quiet murmur filled his head. _I shouldn't have called her that. What was I thinking? I should've asked her... I should've just..._ He clenched his fists.

 _What's the use now? Karin hates me. She probably isn't coming out of her room because she doesn't want to see me._

 _And it's my fault too. I told her to leave me alone. I told her never to talk to me again, or even approach me._

Hitsugaya pressed a palm to his eye, sighing dejectedly. _I'm such a fool. Stupid, stupid! If she ever liked me in some way, those feelings would be gone by now. She won't ever talk to me again._

 _She deserves someone better than me. She deserves to live happily. She didn't deserve to have so many horrible things happening to her._

Somehow, Hitsugaya managed to give a small, wry smile. _And this is what I get for falling in love. I get so clingy. It's hilarious in a way._

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. _Maybe I should check on her. Just... For a while._

He opened the window and looked out, looking up. Slowly, he pulled himself out and grabbed a hold of the roof above, digging his fingers into the ridges. Pushing himself up, he sat there, the wind caressing his face, brushing his hair. He stared up at the moon for a moment, then sighed and crawled over to where Karin's room window was.

Fortunately, there was some footing there which he could stand on, so as carefully as he could, he climbed down to the small ledge. He stuck himself to the wall, grabbing hold of the edge of the roof with a hand.

 _Steady..._

Hitsugaya shifted closer to the window, trying to peer past the glass. He strained his eyes, tilting his head in, then finally saw her, through a crack in her dark purple curtains.

Karin was sitting on the ground, leaning against her bed, and hugging her knees. Her shoulders were shaking with slight tremors, and every now and then they would sag, before trembling again. Hitsugaya couldn't help but feel his heart soften at her state. She looked so fragile.

Then he realised that she was holding something that looked like a photo. He tried to see what it was, but it was facing the other way so he couldn't. Karin suddenly raised her head and looked at the photo, her eyes tired, red and puffy.

 _Karin is crying?_ Hitsugaya wondered, shocked. Finally, he noticed how disheveled she looked, her hair not combed, her clothes wrinkled, her skin losing some of that colour it had before. A tray with used utensils and empty bowls sat near the door.

 _She didn't go out at all? Not even once?_ He realised, astonished. Why would she punish herself so badly?

Karin set the photo on the ground, then stared up at the ceiling, a distant look in her eyes. Hitsugaya peered at the contents of the photo, and his eyes widened.

It showed a photo of him. Just him. Staring at the camera with his back towards it, his head tilted back, and a small smile on his face. He recalled Matsumoto asking him to pose for a photo shoot earlier in the morning, with no questions asked even though it annoyed him, and he had posed in that same manner.

 _Why would Karin have that photo?_ Hitsugaya wondered, frowning. _Could Matsumoto have taken it for her? If so, why?_

Then Karin seemed to snap out of her daze, her eyes welling up once more, and she took the photo, looking at it. Tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed onto the picture of Hitsugaya, and she clutched it to her chest, curling up into a ball. Soft, muffled sobs reached Hitsugaya's ears.

He felt confused. Dazed. _Why is she crying over my photo?_

 _Why is she crying over me?_

He looked up at the moon, a forlorn feeling settling in the pits of his chest. _I don't deserve her tears. But why...?_

 _Why does she look so sad?_

 _Is it because of me? Because of what I said to her? If it's like that, why would she be upset?_

 _I don't get anything anymore..._

It was then he heard his name. He peered back into the room and saw Karin murmuring something. "Toushiro..." she mouthed to herself, followed by a few other words Hitsugaya couldn't hear.

The sound pained him. His chest thudded, aching in a strange way, and he clutched it, wondering why he was feeling such a thing. He saw her tears falling from her face, her expression one of heartbreak.

He looked away, unable to stand seeing such a agonizing sight. _She's crying because of me,_ Hitsugaya thought, his heart splintering. _I caused her tears to flow. It's my fault she looks so unkempt. So... fragile. Like she could break at any moment._

Guilt filled his chest and he slowly made his way back to his room. _I'm the cause of all her pain. I just made everything worse for her._

 _She was probably raped against her will. But I didn't stop to consider that. I thought she was betraying me. I thought she used me. I thought... She never liked me as anything but a toy. Not even as a friend._

 _I'm an idiot._ Hitsugaya covered his eyes, biting his lip, as he lay on his bed.

 _Why?_

 _I love her, so why did I upset her? She doesn't deserve this. She deserves better._

 _Why did I call her a whore? Why did I say those words to her? Why...?_

Regret and guilt swamped in his mind, blurring his vision, confusing his senses. He rolled onto his side, back facing the window. Pulling his covers up all the way, he lay on his bed, thinking. Berating himself for his stupid actions.

 _Why did I make her cry... When I never wanted to see her cry in the first place?_

 _I wanted to protect her._

 _I wanted to be with her._

 _I wanted her to be happy with me..._

Hitsugaya clenched his fist, and punched at the bed frame, gritting his teeth. Tears threatened to pour from his eyes. Slowly, he sank into a sleep plagued with dreams of Karin crying, hating him, cursing him, and worst of all dying. Because of him. Her tears kept replaying in his mind, falling down, down and down, deeper and deeper.

He kept hearing her screaming his name as she fell down a bottomless pit, and he couldn't even do anything to save her.

He was trapped in a little box he had made himself, to 'protect' himself from her.

Karin's continuous screams echoed in his mind, broken, distorted; filled with her pain which he had caused her. A single tear fell down his cheek as he slept on, struggling against the hellish nightmares.

 _I just... wanted her to love me too..._

* * *

 _A/N ... In a way I cried writing this too... :( So there you have it guys... Hitsugaya's feelings towards Karin. I feel really bad doing this but still... The story must go on! Next chapter, Hitsugaya rages! Hinamori will be defeated at last! Thanks for reading guys! :')_

 ** _Reviews help me work faster, so please review and tell me what you think about this story! Thanks guys! Hope you still like this story!_**


	26. FT COH: 25

_A/N Hey guys I'm back! Sorry for the late update... Anyway! :3 Previous chapter, we learn about Hitsugaya's feelings and a bit more about his past. This chapter, things go haywire! Hinamori finally gets brought down! Happy reading guys!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Ichigo, Matsumoto and Rukia were gathered outside Hitsugaya's room, which he shared with Byakuya and Kazuko.

"We're going to have to strike back soon," Ichigo whispered, glancing around. The two females in front of him nodded.

"Hinamori's already done enough. I can't believe she even let other boys rape Karin," Matsumoto scowled, shaking her head. Rukia looked slightly concerned.

"Speaking of Karin, is she alright? She hasn't come out of her room for a week..." Ichigo's expression saddened.

"She's... going through a lot of... hardships you see, so... She just wants to be alone. And she's been suspended from school," He gave a helpless shrug. "We tried coaxing her out of the room with soccer, or her favourite curry, but she just doesn't want to leave."

"She must be really depressed..." Matsumoto sighed. "And I think the photo of Taicho I gave her isn't helping her situation,"

"You gave her a photo of Toushiro?" Ichigo asked, puzzled. "Why? How?"

"Rangiku-san slipped it under Karin's door. And why? The two of us decided on it because we just wanted to... I don't know, make Karin feel better in some way. So we thought Hitsugaya Taicho's picture would cheer her up," Rukia said, sighing.

Ichigo frowned. "That is _definitely_ not going to work. Karin's pretty much convinced Toushiro hates her, even though I told her he doesn't," he explained.

"Why's that?" Matsumoto asked, confused. Rukia seemed to be trying to sort everything out.

"Apparently... Toushiro saw her while she was getting raped by one of her schoolmates, which I don't know who," Ichigo scowled. "If I knew, I'll definitely beat that bastard up so bad he'll have to go to the hospital. Or die," He paused, and saw the disturbed looks on both the females' expressions.

"Anyway, Karin said Toushiro called her a whore, so she's very certain he hates her,"

"A whore? Taicho would never say that!" Matsumoto gasped, eyes rounding.

"Hitsugaya Taicho must have been very mad at that point to go that far," Rukia mused. Silence fell between the three.

"So what are we going to do now?" Ichigo asked.

"We have to collect more evidence against Hinamori, or no one will believe us." Rukia said.

"... I think Taicho can do that for us," Matsumoto suddenly said, a small smile gracing her lips. The other two looked at her questioningly.

"I've been with him for the past few centuries, so I know him well enough." Her silver eyes gleamed mysteriously, with hidden knowledge. "No matter how much you try to hide something, Taicho will always figure it out,"

"I have a feeling that he'll soon uncover Hinamori's secret," Rukia's eyes widened, while Ichigo still looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?" He asked, raising a brow.

"Taicho... has a very powerful sense of intuition," Matsumoto explained. "Even if I tried to hide the fact that I hadn't been doing work by hiding the papers in every single hiding spot I could find, even in the _women's bathroom_ , he'll find them, and punish me when he finds me too,"

"That sounds... terrifying," Ichigo commented, shuddering.

"It is. I _really_ hate that trait of his," Matsumoto gave a wry smile. "But I guess it'll do some good in this situation,"

"So, even if Hinamori tries to keep the truth away from Toushiro..." Ichigo finally realised.

"Hitsugaya Taicho will find out," Rukia whispered, her voice filled with a soft tone of awe.

Matsumoto nodded, smirking a bit. "Then there'll be hell to pay,"

* * *

Hitsugaya woke up slowly, squinting as bright sunlight streamed into his eyes. He raised his arm to block the light as he slowly sat up, white hair tousled, stray bangs falling over his face, shirt unbuttoned and lopsided. Looking around the room, he saw that both Kazuko and Byakuya were gone, their beds neatly tidied.

His eyes felt sore, and tired, and he closed them slowly, tilting his head back.

Memories of the past night flashed in his head and he grimaced as a familiar feeling of regret swamped his chest. Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He leaned against his pillow, staring out the window for a moment.

Lost in thought, he didn't even hear the crash of Isshin and Ichigo as they battled their everyday morning routine of feet and fists down in the kitchen.

It was only when the bedside alarm clock began ringing, indicating that it was seven and time to get up, did he snap out of his daze and begin to move.

Before long, Hitsugaya was changed into his uniform and headed down to the living room, passing by Karin's room in the process. The door was closed, and only a sad silence drifted out of it. The ice captain winced as he remembered Karin's tears, and hesitated, wondering if he should knock. He reached up, his hand hovering above the surface of the door, debating.

Would Karin answer him?

Would she forgive him if he apologised?

Would she like it if he told her he loved her?

As Hitsugaya contemplated, a powerful reiatsu burst near the stairway indicated the arrival of Ichigo. The ice captain whipped around, trying to look like he had just been passing by, but Ichigo narrowed his eyes, looking at him with an understanding and realisation in his brown orbs.

"Were you about to knock?" He asked, unhelpfully loudly. Hitsugaya felt the heat rise in his cheeks and quickly looked to the ground.

"... N-no..." he muttered, striding away from the door, even though he wanted so very badly to break it down and tell Karin how much he missed her. How much he regretted what he said to her.

The Substitute grabbed Hitsugaya's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "It's fine to knock you know," he said, surprisingly gently. The ice captain's eyes widened. "Karin... needs someone right now. Someone she can lean on," Ichigo went on, looking to the door, his brown eyes saddened.

"What's that got to do with me? I'm just..." Hitsugaya paused, uncertain as whether to say he was still her friend. Ichigo seemed to sense this.

"You're still a friend Toushiro. You're one of the few people who understand her. In my opinion, I think the person she really needs right now is _you,_ not me." He said. Hitsugaya couldn't say anything to that.

"... I'm not," he finally replied, in a flat tone. Ichigo raised a questioning eyebrow. "And I don't see why I need to help her anyway,"

"She's depressed Toushiro," Ichigo answered, urging. "Not because of her suspension from school," At that Hitsugaya felt shocked. Karin got suspended?

"Why is she suspended?" He asked, eyes wide. Ichigo face palmed himself.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you didn't know," he sighed. "Karin got suspended because... well... The students found out about the... rape thing. Then the principal knew, so he had to suspend her," he explained. Hitsugaya couldn't stop himself from sniffing.

"Well, I guess she deserves it..." His voice trailed off, and he looked at Ichigo, uncertainty reflecting in his eyes. "Doesn't she...?"

Ichigo looked surprised at his uncertainty. "You're... not sure what's right?" He asked.

Hitsugaya blinked, and he flushed, lowering his head. "Anyway," he coughed, trying to move to another subject. "So what if Karin's depressed? If it's because of her suspension then that's normal," his voice hitched in his throat.

 _She isn't depressed because of that._

 _She's depressed because I called her a whore._

 _Because I left her when she needed me the most._

"It's not that," Ichigo said, echoing his own thoughts. Hitsugaya raised his head, teal eyes blank. "She's depressed because... I guess it's because of you in a way,"

"I know that," Hitsugaya whispered, tucking his hands into his pocket. Ichigo blinked, looking stunned. "That's why I'm not the one she needs now. I _broke_ her. She won't forgive me for it," With that, Hitsugaya went down the stairs. Ichigo didn't say anything to stop him.

* * *

Hitsugaya walked to school slowly. He was going to be late soon but he didn't care. He was just thinking.

Karin's face flashed in his mind, broken with agony. He grimaced, pausing as he closed his eyes, raising his head to the skies. It hurt.

 _I don't know what to feel. What should I do in a situation like this?_

 _Should I apologise to Karin? Should I just leave her be?_

Hitsugaya felt muddled, his mind whirling. _Why am I becoming like this?_

 _Why is love so complicated?_

He resumed walking, completely lost in thought. A few times, he nearly crashed into the lighting poles lining the streets, and tripped over a few loose cobblestones on the path. _If Matsumoto were seeing me like this, she'd call me a blur squid._

 _And she'll say this is very, very unlike me._

Hitsugaya sighed, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Enough pondering. He had to concentrate on walking.

Eventually he reached school, five minutes before the bell rang for lessons. Students swarmed here and there like bees clad in uniforms, buzzing with chatter, moving around. Hitsugaya entered the crowd, trying to head for his class.

It was only a moment later when someone recognised him, and he was suddenly surrounded by worrying girls and pitying boys.

"You're Toushiro-kun, right? Hitsugaya Toushiro-kun?" Someone asked, a concerned tone in her voice. Dumbfounded, he nodded, his mind in a state of confusion.

Why do people know him? What was going on?

"He was the one who scored six points in a row at the soccer tournament earlier this semester!"

"Wow, that's awesome. Pretty bad luck to get raped by his own captain,"

"Yeah you're right. She was such a bitch anyway,"

"I feel bad for him, actually. Imagine having to live with the trauma of being raped for the rest of his life. I mean, just look how tired he is,"

"What I don't like is the fact a tomboy like Kurosaki Karin attacked him first. He looks to good to be hers,"

"What, you're jealous? Though I have to agree, getting raped by his friend is such a sad thing. They couldn't have been going out together. Hinamori-san said so,"

Hitsugaya looked around, bewildered. _What?_

 _Rape? Karin?_

 _Hinamori...?_

"What are you all... talking about?" He asked, looking around. The chatters died down, and everyone stared at him, confused.

"Weren't you raped? By Kurosaki Karin," a boy called from the back. Hitsugaya blinked.

"Yeah. She was touching you all over and you had that pained look on your face like you didn't like it," someone else piped up.

"Then that kiss! How could she just _kiss_ him like that? A slut like her must have kissed other people back in the past. I'm betting that it was Hitsugaya-san's first time," another boy agreed.

"Karin isn't a slut," Hitsugaya blurted out before he could stop himself. There were shocked gasps.

"Then what is she to you?" A girl demanded. He winced, biting his lip at the question.

What _was_ Karin to him? His friend? His best friend?

Or the one he likes?

"I just... She's my friend. And... I don't recall ever being raped by her," he answered slowly. He knew he had kissed her himself. He had let her put medicine on his wounds.

He had slept with her, and his nightmares had been relieved because of her.

There had never been an instance where he had been raped against his will. So what were the students talking about?

Horrified gasps rose in the air.

"He's been brainwashed," someone whispered.

"That bitch did so many bad things to him until he forgot them all," someone else gasped.

"This is very bad. Hitsugaya-san, you need to see the school nurse, quick!" A hand grabbed his and he was suddenly pushed forwards by a surging crowd of students.

Hands reached out, grabbing at him, pushing him. Whispers and yells echoed in his ears, ringing loudly like an alarm. A flash of a memory appeared in his head- _a bloodied hand touching his face, soft murmuring reaching his ears, humid breaths against his cheeks_ \- and then it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Let me go," he croaked out hoarsely, wrenching his hand back from the person who had grabbed him. Students shoved at him from the back, sending him stumbling forward. He tripped and fell, landing on the ground with a hard crash.

Hitsugaya trembled as he tried to get back up, pushing himself to his feet. He swayed, and staggered to a wall, leaning against it for support. Raspy gasps escaped his lips, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get rid of the sick whirling sensation in his head.

"Is he ill?"

"He looks so pale. He really needs to see the nurse,"

"Hey are you alright?"

Hands reached out at him once more, grasping, fingers curling, fists clenching. Hitsugaya felt feverish. Delusional. He gazed blankly at the other students as he lay against the wall, sliding to the ground.

The students around him murmured loudly, buzzing like bees. He ran a hand through his hair, pinching the bridge of his nose. Trying to get a hold of his consciousness before it slipped away.

 _Stay strong Hitsugaya._

 _Stay focused. Don't pass out._

He sat there for a few moments when the bell rang, and he slowly got back to his feet, swaying. "Are you alright Hitsugaya-san?" Someone asked him worriedly. He pushed down the bile rising in his throat and nodded, staggering.

"Just... get to class," he gasped out, pushing one of the students away when he tried to help the ill ice captain.

He ignored everything else and focused on arriving at his classroom, pulling the door open. Hanabi was already there, and she raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "What took you so long to get here Hitsugaya-san?" She asked, a pen hovering over her clipboard, as if to take notes down.

"The... other students were blocking me," Hitsugaya replied lamely, his tone soft. He blinked wearily at the teacher and she narrowed her eyes, her lips turning to a frown.

"Why is that?" She demanded, a little gently, her eyes filled with a slight worry.

"They... wanted to know how I was," he answered quietly again, feeling uncomfortable.

"Ah I see... That's a valid reason. Now go to your seat Hitsugaya-san. Lesson will begin," Hanabi said, nodding in understanding, as she set her clipboard down. Hitsugaya stood where he was, glancing at the other students in the class.

They were all staring at him, whispering amongst each other, eyes filled with pity.

 _Why are they pitying me?_

His gaze slid over to Hinamori, and he saw her looking at him uneasily. She flinched when their eyes met and she quickly looked away.

 _What did Hinamori tell them?_

"Hitsugaya-san, please return to your seat. The others are waiting for you," Hanabi repeated, more sternly. Hitsugaya moved slowly, not taking his gaze off Hinamori. Suspicion flared in his mind.

 _Something's going on._

 _The students said I was raped, when clearly I was not. I know that. Hinamori was the one who told me that Karin was raping other boys... And now that I think about it, the picture she showed me looked a little strange. Karin's expression wasn't natural. She must have been the one to report the incident to the principal too, since she seems to be the only one who knows._

 _Hinamori is hiding something._

 _And I will find out, no matter what._

Hitsugaya's expression became hard when he passed by his own seat and halted next to Hinamori's, glaring down at her. She looked up at him and gave a weak, innocent smile. "Y-yes Shiro-chan?" She asked. The ice captain saw her hands tremble slightly, and felt a sense of satisfaction in knowing that she was frightened of him.

Lightly, he grabbed the collar of her uniform and pulled, tugging at the bow tie. Hinamori stood up shakily, eyes wide with fear. "Take your bag," the ice captain ordered softly, his tone hard and cold, gaze steely. Hinamori took her bag obediently and she followed Hitsugaya as he made his way to the exit of the classroom.

"Hitsugaya-san!" Hanabi snapped, but she faltered when the ice captain turned his icy teal gaze to her.

"I'd like to talk to Hinamori for a moment, Sensei. You can continue lessons," he said, raising his chin slightly. Hanabi stood at the front of the class, frozen, the pen in her hand clattering to the ground.

Hitsugaya stared at her for a second longer, before making his way out of the class, dragging a paralysed Hinamori along. The temperature had gone slightly cold.

Once outside, Hitsugaya slammed Hinamori against the wall, still holding onto her collar.

"What did you tell the principal?" He asked in a dangerously soft tone. Hinamori looked on the verge of tears.

"W-what do you mean? What are you talking about?" She whimpered, gulping as the ice captain's gaze hardened.

"About the incident with Karin. What. Did. You. Tell. Him?" He whispered into her ear, the danger of a threat hanging in his voice.

Hinamori was resisting, he could tell. "I-I don't understand," she murmured, blinking rapidly. Losing his cool, Hitsugaya twisted the fabric of her uniform tightly, pulling her up. She squeaked, eyes alarmingly wide with fright.

"When Karin got so-called 'raped', you bitch." He hissed, unable to control his use of language. Hurt flashed through Hinamori's eyes, but he didn't care.

All that mattered was the truth.

All that mattered was _Karin_.

"What did you tell the principal? Spit it. Now,"

The 5th Division Vice-Captain seemed to have lost it. "I-I told him that Karin-san raped people! That's all I swear!" She sobbed. Hitsugaya's suspicions grew.

"So why did everyone ask if _I_ was alright? Why did everyone say _I_ was raped?" He snarled. Hinamori froze, tears welling in her eyes. She went silent, and Hitsugaya felt frustrated.

He snatched Hinamori's bag away from her and dumped out all the contents- books, an extra set of uniform, her pencil case, and finally, the stack of photos, neatly tucked in a zip lock bag. He picked it up and ripped it open, grabbing the photos out. One by one he looked through them as Hinamori sank to the ground sobbing.

"What..." he whispered hoarsely, eyes widening in disbelief. There were many photos, all showing Karin and a few other boys, as well as himself. He flipped through the photos slowly, feeling a familiar rage swell in his chest.

 _Karin was raped. She didn't rape anyone._ She _was the victim. Only her._

Enraged, Hitsugaya turned back to face Hinamori, glowering at her with a lethal teal gaze. She seemed to wither on the spot, trembling fearfully.

" _Karin_ was the one who was raped, wasn't she? _She_ was the victim, not the other boys." He took a step back towards the vice-captain, watching her darkly. "Why did you frame her?"

Hinamori shook her head, lips pursed. She wasn't speaking.

"I'm going to ask you one more time... WHY DID YOU FRAME HER?!" Hitsugaya demanded furiously. His voice echoed down the corridors.

Hinamori merely let out a sob, giving him a pathetic blink. _She's trying to sway me._

 _Such a frightening bitch._

"Answer me. NOW," he scowled, clenching his fists. Hinamori refused to speak, gazing defiantly up at him. And it was then he knew that she was the one behind everything.

She was the one who got Karin raped in the first place.

Hinamori set everything up.

"You were the one who planned all this, weren't you?" Hitsugaya whispered softly, his voice low. Hinamori froze, eyes growing wide with immediate fear.

"Why did you do this to her?" He asked, looking down at his childhood friend murderously. Hinamori gulped, face paling. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stared up at him, mute.

"WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO HER?!" Finally snapping, Hitsugaya threw the photos at her, scattering them all over the place. They fluttered to the ground, exposing everything. "ANSWER ME, HINAMORI!"

Hinamori began to cry, rather loudly. Pissed, he grabbed at her hair and yanked. Hard. She screamed in pain, tears streaming down her face. Normally, Hitsugaya would have stopped by now and apologised to her. Normally, he wouldn't have screamed at her.

But nothing mattered anymore.

Only Karin did.

Karin meant everything to him.

Karin was his entire world.

Whispers began to rise up around him, and it was then he realised that other students had left their classes and were watching curiously.

"Tell everyone what you did," he said, pulling Hinamori up with her hair. She yelped, sobbing pitifully. Hitsugaya's eyes flashed with annoyance. "NOW,"

Hinamori shook her head as best as she could through his iron grip on her hair, and he tightened his hold, pulling harder till some of her hair came out. Hinamori screamed agonizingly, muffled words escaping her lips.

"I'm sorry!" She wailed, clutching at her hair. "I'm sorry Shiro-chan. I'm sorry!"

"Tell everyone what you did, you bitch," Hitsugaya snarled. Hinamori cringed, sniffles escaping her lips. "TELL EVERYONE WHAT YOU DID!"

"I lied!" She cried, sitting on the floor, fists clenched. Hitsugaya let go of her hair, and she clutched at her head, hung in shame. "I lied. I'm sorry," she sniffed, tears dripping from her eyes onto her skirt.

"What was it you lied about then, Hinamori?" Hitsugaya said darkly, glaring at the weeping girl.

"About Karin-san... raping the other boys..." she choked out. Gasps rose from the crowd of students.

"What does that mean?"

"Kurosaki didn't rape anyone?"

"Why would she lie to all of us?"

Hitsugaya kicked Hinamori's leg to get her to keep talking, glaring daggers at her. "Everything was just a setup. I set the whole thing up. Karin-san was the one who got raped by the boys, not the other way round," she blabbered, blinking rapidly.

More horrified gasps.

"I framed her because I hated her. She got on my nerves. I was jealous of her. She was taking Shiro-chan away from me!" Hinamori wailed, looking up at Hitsugaya with her eyes wide.

"You understand don't you Shiro-chan? You forgive me right? You always forgive me. Don't you forgive me?" She pleaded, grabbing his jeans leg. Disgusted, Hitsugaya moved away, scowling.

"I don't. And I'm pretty sure I never will," he spat at her, his blood curdling. Hinamori's eyes widened despairingly.

"But why? Don't you love me?" She wailed, reaching for him.

"I used to. But not anymore," he replied in a soft growl. Heartbroken, Hinamori cried loudly, tears pouring down her face. There was a jostle amongst the crowd of students, then Hishiri appeared, followed by a pack of his goons.

"Aha! There you are freak! I'm gonna get you back for kicking me while I was f*cking Kurosaki to my heart's content! You ruined everything!" The thug smirked, cracking his knuckles.

"So it was true?"

"Karin really did get raped, and not the boys?"

Whispers of astonishment rose from the crowd. The teachers hustled them back into class, nervously glancing at the pack of bullies and a single Hitsugaya. Someone dragged Hinamori back into the classroom despite her protests of being left alone.

Hitsugaya clenched his fists, his body trembling with an immense anger ready to explode out of him. " _You_ were the one who ruined everything. You ruined Karin's life," he spat venomously, teal eyes dilating slightly. Frost began to form on the windows as the surrounding air chilled, creating mist.

Hishiri snorted. "She was the one who willingly let me rape her. But that's probably because of Hinamori-chan blackmailing her," he grinned. "I never had so much fun in my-"

A fury-filled punch interrupted him and he was sent flying to the ground.

" _Raping_ Karin isn't _fun_ you asshole," Hitsugaya growled, his fist clenched and raised in a threat.

Hishuri sat up, clenching his jaw. "Huh. You've got some power there, shrimp." He smirked arrogantly. "But is it enough to beat me and my buddies here?" He taunted.

Enraged, Hitsugaya lunged at the thug, grabbing one of his goons by the head and slamming it into the wall when he got in the way. A large, deep crack appeared in the cement wall as the goon slumped to the floor, head bleeding profusely.

The ice captain aimed a knee kick to someone else's gut, then did an uppercut and, grabbing his collar, slammed him into another goon.

Rage pumped through his veins as he took down hoon after goon, wrecking the corridors with smashed windows, broken glass, and cracked walls.

Eventually he reached Hishiri, who stood near the back door of the school.

Hitsugaya was barely even exhausted. He glowered at the bully darkly, teal eyes filled with murderous intent. Hishiri paled slightly, but stood his ground.

"Sanjo Hishiri..." The ice captain said quietly, taking a step forward. Hishiri moved back, gulping.

Teal eyes flashed.

"You made Karin suffer. You ruined her life. You forcefully took her virginity before she was married, and not to mention she didn't like you." His teeth gritted.

"I don't care even if Hinamori was the one behind all this,"

Images of Karin's tears flashed in his mind, filled with pain and sorrow in each drop. The agony in her eyes which he had never noticed before appeared clearly in his head, back when Hishiri had been raping Karin and fingering her in front of Hitsugaya.

"You made her cry," His voice took on a murderous tone. A bloodthirsty aura surrounded him, and Hishiri began to sweat profusely.

"And for that..." Hitsugaya gazed straight into Hishiri's eyes, his withering glare causing the thug to stop breathing for a moment.

"I'll kill you,"

* * *

 _A/N Yes so in the end Hitsugaya found out. And he's now in a killing streak. What will happen to him, as well as Karin and Hishiri? Will Hinamori be dealt with? What will Ichigo, Rukia and Matsumoto do? Next chapter, a looming menace appears and Hitsugaya will soon find out who the person is that is targeting him! Thanks gor reading guys! :3_

 ** _Reviews help me to work faster, so do review and give me your thoughts on this story! How can it improve? Thanks guys, and I will await your feedback! :)_**


	27. FT COH: 26

_A/N Hey guys! Sorry for the super long delay, and sudden disappearance! I was REALLY busy, and this chapter wasn't working with me. ;-; But I'm back now! In the previous chapter, Hitsugaya fumes! Hinamori finally reveals the truth! And there's going to be a 'showdown' between our ice prince and the bully Hishiri! This chapter, Karin appears again, and the mysterious leader of the Unknowns strikes! Happy reading guys!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all... And I'm very sad that Bleach has ended. :( I WANT A SEQUEL! Dx_**

* * *

Hishiri smirked, looking slightly nervous, as he slowly opened the backdoor. He ran out quickly, and Hitsugaya followed, gaze trained on the thug. He kicked the door as it swung back at him, and proceeded outside on the field. Hishiri stood waiting for him, cracking his knuckles.

The students in the classrooms had gathered at the windows, watching the events as they unfolded dramatically.

"Kill me huh?" Hishiri snorted. "I'd like to see you try," He gave a cocky smirk at the captain. Hitsugaya growled, his face dark, as he clenched his fists tightly. He could feel his reiatsu thrumming through his veins.

They stood, watching each other for a moment, before Hishiri striked. He charged, yelling incoherently as he swung a fist at Hitsugaya, who easily side-stepped and delivered a blow to the thug's gut. Hishiri grunted and coughed as he stumbled back from the force of the ice captain's punch, and he recovered only just in time to see a foot rushing towards his face from the side.

Hitsugaya's kick made contact with Hishiri's face and the bully was sent flying, tripping over his knees as he struggled to regain balanced. Before the bully could move again, the ice captain was there, sending an uppercut to his chin, then after that began raining blows on Hishiri's stomach.

Hishiri choked, eyes wide with shock and pain, and he stumbled back, only to be hit in the rib by Hitsugaya's knee.

He crashed to the ground, coughing, and he struggled to get up. Hitsugaya approached him slowly, with a frightening pace.

"M-monster!" Hishiri spluttered as he staggered to his feet, swaying and trembling uncontrollably. Hitsugaya's glare hardened.

"I think you've got it wrong, Sanjo," he said quietly, approaching the bully. Hishiri squeaked and moved back, fear in his eyes. He had finally seen just how terrifying Hitsugaya could be when he was mad.

Hitsugaya suddenly ran, zipping quickly behind the thug, and sent a flying kick to his head, knocking him forwards. Hishiri cried out in surprise, and Hitsugaya attacked again, punching his jaw.

A sickening crack resounded through the air as Hishiri's jaw broke, and the bully flopped to the ground, limp. A few of his teeth fell out and landed on the ground.

Hitsugaya squatted beside him and leaned in. "I can kill you now if I want to, Sanjo," he whispered menacingly. "I'm not just a monster," His teal eyes flashed murderously as he concentrated his icy reiatsu into his hand. He saw Hishiri's eyes flicker for a moment, then they opened. Fear flashed through them as he saw the ice captain. "I'm a Shinigami,"

Hishiri paled, eyes widening in disbelief. "Now, you better keep quiet about this," Hitsugaya smirked, for the first time in his life feeling like a sadistic lunatic. "Or I'll hunt you down and kill you in your bed," The bully gave the smallest of nods, skin bruised and ghostly white.

"I'm feeling very generous today, so I won't kill you," Hishiri looked relieved, but the expression disappeared when Hitsugaya's smirk widened slightly. "But..." The ice captain raised his fist, which was imbued with his reiatsu. "I'm going to have to punish you for your sins,"

"I'll make sure that you won't ever be able to rape another girl again," His fist descended, and crushed the thing Hishiri had used to take Karin's virginity away. Hishiri let out a soundless scream, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, and he lay motionless. Hitsugaya stood up, and kicked the body aside, before tucking his hands into his pockets and making his way to the school gate.

"Toushiro!" Ichigo's voice suddenly came, and he saw the Substitute running towards him, accompanied by Matsumoto and Rukia.

"Oh. Kurosaki. Why are you here? This is school grounds," Hitsugaya said calmly. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"We felt your reiatsu spike for a moment, so we thought something happened," he answered, puzzled. "What happened?"

Hitsugaya felt his rage boil as he thought of Hishiri. "Oh, some things just happened. It seems that Hinamori was the one behind the incident with Karin," he said smoothly. The three Shinigami's eyes widened, and they exchanged a glance. Hitsugaya decided to ignore it.

"I made her tell the truth, because the students were asking if I was alright after getting 'raped'," He scowled at the memory.

" _You_ were one of the few the principal said got raped?" Ichigo said in surprise. Hitsugaya shrugged, glancing back at the school building.

"Apparently. The evidence presented was that bathroom setup," he snorted. Both Matsumoto and Rukia instantly wore guilty looks on their faces. Hitsugaya noticed this. "Don't worry about it anymore. What's past is past. Nothing can change it,"

"So... what happened next?" Matsumoto asked. Hitsugaya gave a grunt.

"Seems like the one who took Karin's virginity away was Sanjo Hishiri. So I fought with him," he said casually.

"You did?!" Ichigo exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course. I was angry," Hitsugaya answered with a yawn. "And I crushed that asshole's dick, so he shouldn't be much of a problem anymore,"

All three of them gave a start, shivering.

"H-how scary..." Rukia whispered, backing away slightly.

"How could you just _crush_ a man's dick, when you're a man yourself?" Ichigo spluttered.

"T-Taicho... Are you really alright...?" Matsumoto asked nervously.

Hitsugaya gave a small smirk. "Well, that's what happens to anyone who dares to rape _my_ Karin," he snapped out, glaring at them.

" _Your_ Karin?" They gasped, looking at each other in shock. Hitsugaya sighed.

"Forget about it. Anyway, if you want to deal with Sanjo and Hinamori, feel free to do so. I'm sick of them," he muttered, walking away.

"Wait, where are you going Hitsugaya Taicho?" Rukia asked. The ice captain glanced at her.

"To Karin, of course. I..." He quickly looked away, tucking a hand in his pocket. "... have something I need to tell her," And with that, he walked away in brisk steps, leaving the three staring after him, flabbergasted.

* * *

Hitsugaya reached the Kurosaki household in five minutes, going in and looking around. No one was in the house, except for Isshin. "Oh? Toushiro, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" The former Captain asked his former third-seat.

"I ditched it," Hitsugaya replied flatly. Isshin raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Why?" Isshin asked, curious. The ice captain sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Not now, Shiba Taicho. Is Karin still in her room?" He questioned. Isshin seemed surprised at his question, but decided not to push it.

"She should be. She's been suspended after all," he answered. Hitsugaya nodded and quickly ascended the stairs. He stopped at the soccer girl's door, staring at it.

Taking in a deep breath to calm his nerves, he knocked, loud sharp raps. "Karin?" He asked, feeling timid. There was no reply. "Karin, it's me. Toushiro," It felt strange saying his own name. "Will you... open the door? I need to talk to you for a moment," Still silence.

"Karin, please," he pleaded, beginning to feel desperate. Did Karin hate him _that_ much? Again, no answer.

Sighing, he closed his eyes, feeling defeated. Until he felt something strange.

 _What..._

Karin's reiatsu wasn't in the room.

 _Did she...?!_

Hitsugaya grabbed the door handle, letting his reiatsu pour into the lock. It froze, and he broke it off. _I can pay for it, no worries._ He shoved the door open, and was only met with an empty room and an open window.

The curtains fluttered as a breeze blew in, caressing his face.

 _Karin left._

He saw a small note underneath her pencil case on her study table, and went to grab it, reading it hurriedly. His eyes widened in astonishment and fear.

 _Dear Oyaji, Ichi-nii, and Yuzu_

 _You might be wondering where I went. It's ok. If you're reading this, it probably means that my suspension is over, or maybe Yuzu went to give me my dinner but found that I wasn't in. You don't have to worry about me anymore. Perhaps, by the time you read this, I'm in a safe place. A place where I can enjoy my days. A place where life isn't as crappy as it is now. I'm just a burden to you anyways. I'm a burden to everyone. So you don't have to cry over me. Just forget that I even existed. That's what I would want. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry. Good bye._

 _Love_

 _Karin_

Hitsugaya found himself trembling. _No. It can't be._ He saw a smaller portion of words below the letter.

 _P.S. Please don't tell Toushiro about this. He wouldn't care anyways. For all he knows, I'm just a stuck-up slut who used him for my own filthy desires._

Hitsugaya's breath hitched in his throat.

 _I don't mean anything to him anymore._

His grip on the paper tightened, crumpling it as he bit his lip, the guilt in his heart kicking up a storm.

 _He doesn't have to know about my feelings for him._

Tears threatened to flow from his eyes.

 _As long as he's happy, I'm happy too. That's all I need to know in order to live fully._

Hitsugaya placed the paper back on the table slowly, his hands shaking, his vision blurring. _What have I done...?_

He stared at his palms, seeing blood on them, even though he hadn't killed anyone. _No. I killed her. I killed Karin._

 _I broke her. And now she's suicidal..._

He gulped, biting his lip hard, almost drawing blood.

 _I have to find her._

He jumped out of the open window, landing on the street with a soft thump. He began running, stretching his senses to detect even the slightest trace of Karin's reiatsu.

 _Please don't let her be dead. Please._

 _Please..._

 _I haven't told her. I..._

Glancing around, he tried to find his beloved friend. _She means so much more to me. More than she thinks._

 _Please don't take her away from me now._

* * *

The man watched as Hitsugaya ran down the streets in a panic. Amused, he followed, pausing when the ice captain stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath. _Sensing for reiatsu. Luckily I hid my own._

Then he suddenly began moving, a new light in his eyes, and turned down the streets, towards the direction of the large river.

The man followed suite, reaching for his phone when it began vibrating in his pocket. "Hello?" He said, hearing static.

 **"Have you captured the target?"** Came his master's slithery voice. The man shuddered slightly.

"Not yet sir," he answered, a little hesitantly.

 **"I want him here by tonight, eight sharp. Don't be late,"** the voice snapped. The man gulped.

"Will do, sir. I promise,"

The voice hung up, and the man tucked his phone back into his pocket. His red eyes trailed after Hitsugaya as he began approaching the river, only to bump into Kurosaki Ichigo. He smirked slyly, reaching for the hilt of his katana which was at his side.

It was time to capture the prey.

* * *

"Kurosaki!" Hitsugaya said in surprise as Ichigo appeared, rounding the corner of the street.

"Oh Toushiro. What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, but was startled when the ice captain grabbed his arm and dragged him along.

"I'll explain on the way. Come _on_ and follow me," he hissed. Ichigo dumbly obeyed, wondering what was going on. Hitsugaya told the Substitute about Karin's letter, and how he managed to find her reiatsu near the river bank.

"Karin's... gone suicidal?" Ichigo paled visibly, his face grief-stricken. Hitsugaya nodded solemnly.

"But she's still alive. She hasn't gone and committed suicide yet. We can still save her. There's still a chance..." his voice trailed off, a lingering 'I hope' on his tongue. He swallowed it down, shaking his head. He _had_ to save her. Karin was his entire world. Without her, he would be nothing.

They neared the bridge crossing the river, and it was then Hitsugaya saw her. She stood on the railings of the bridge, her dark black hair blowing with the wind. She was holding herself, tears streaming down her face, her eyes closed. He saw her sway.

 _No._

"KARIN!"

Karin perked up, her head turning. Just then, her foot slipped, and with a shocked cry, she plummeted into the river.

Hitsugaya ran forwards, eyes widening, until everything around him seemed to stop. Literally.

He saw Ichigo behind him, frozen in a running position, mouth wide open, his brown eyes ignited with determined flames. The birds in the sky were frozen, wings outstretched as they soared. People who had been walking were now frozen solid, some mid-sneeze.

 _What the hell just happened?_

The world was frozen in time.

A shadow appeared behind him and grabbed him, a hand covering his mouth as he struggled in its grasp. It was strong enough to withstand Hitsugaya's reiatsu flare. Then teeth sunk into his neck and he cried out against the shadow's palm, trembling.

 _An Unknown._

He felt his reiatsu begin to drain from his body, his limbs becoming slack. It hurt. He stopped struggling, breathing heavily as his knees gave way. The Unknown was draining a large amount of his reiatsu at a time. It felt like he had been turned into a snack.

Suddenly he felt the Unknown convulse, the black hand which covered his mouth growing skin. Hitsugaya felt a sudden chill against his back. The teeth, which had turned into ones similar to a human's, were removed, and the ice captain collapsed onto the ground, coughing. He clutched at his bite wound, glancing up at the Unknown.

What he saw made his eyes widen.

The Unknown had turned into a spitting image of him. Everything, his hair, his eyes, even his clothes, had been nicely copied.

A doppelganger.

Another shadow appeared and hands grabbed at Hitsugaya. A fist landed on his stomach, and the ice captain cried out at the hard blow, coughing blood. He felt himself being dragged away, and saw the Unknown-turned-him stand at the exact spot he was in, poised in a running position.

 _What the-?!_

A crack appeared in the sky, slowly spreading. Hitsugaya only just saw the world shatter and time resume, with Ichigo's voice ringing through the air, before he was thrown into a dark alley. A dark orb surrounded him, and he only saw darkness.

 _What's going on? That Unknown, it transformed into me. It took my place. What is it doing-_ His thoughts became jumbled as he slowly sat up, clutching at his bleeding neck. His reiatsu was slowly returning to him. Painfully slowly. He winced at the pain of the wound.

"Are you confused?" A familiar voice rang through the dark space. Hitsugaya twisted around, and saw several poison yellow eyes watching him. Hisses surrounded him and he felt a stab of fear.

"Of course you would be," the voice went on. The Unknowns advanced on him, and he staggered to his feet, hand instinctively going to his pocket where his soul candy was kept. He dug in, but felt nothing of the smooth, round pill.

 _What?!_

He dug in his pocket again, but still couldn't feel it anywhere. _Where is it?_

"Are you looking for your soul candy?" The voice hummed amusedly. "I took it away and destroyed it. After all, I don't want any evidence to be found after this,"

"Where are you? Come out, you son of a-" Hitsugaya yelled into the space angrily, only to be cut off when a hand pushed against his head.

He popped out of his gigai, and straight into the horde of Unknowns waiting hungrily for him. Teeth snapped at his arms, shredding his Shihakusho and haori. He cried out in alarm as he was hungrily devoured by the Unknowns who had so eagerly awaited their meal. Sharp teeth sank into his flesh and drained his reiatsu. They were all over his body- his arms, legs, torso and neck. Blood splashed onto the ground as he shook. He was forced to stand from the fact that there were two Unknowns holding him up.

 _D-damn this..._

"S-stop it. Stop... drinking...! My rei... atsu...!" He gasped out, sweat trickling down his face. His knees were about to buckle. His reiatsu was being sucked out like a vacuum in mere seconds, and he felt his reiatsu reserves slowly begin to burn away. He had stored some reiatsu in reserves in case of emergency but they were all being eaten in an instant. His heart throbbed, hard and fast, as his soul struggled to produce more reiatsu to keep his body alive.

"Ahhh... Stop... P-lease..." he whimpered in defeat, unable to struggle any longer. The Unknowns showed no signs of letting up. He had never felt so violated in his life.

"Please stop... I'm... begging you... Please..." he whispered softly, exhaustion swamping his mind, he could barely see from the lack of reiatsu. Instead of stopping, the Unknowns dug in harder, determined to suck out every last drop of reiatsu his body contained and turn him into nothing but dried bones.

There was a sharp whistle, and the Unknowns all suddenly stopped, removing their teeth. Hitsugaya collapsed to the ground in relief, gasping for air, clutching at his aching body with a moan.

An Unknown came towards him, sniffing at his body, a raspy tongue licking at his blood on his skin. Hitsugaya shuddered, trying to move away from the beast.

"Stop. Hold him up," the voice ordered. The Unknown paused in his licking, and grabbed Hitsugaya, pulling him to his knees. He lay limp in the creature's arms, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his reiatsu as quickly as possible.

"The Unknowns really like you," the voice said. Footsteps sounded, the only other sound in thethick silence other than Hitsugaya's raspy breathing. "They tell me about your reiatsu, how cold and sweet it tastes to them. Your blood, which they snack on, as well as your flesh, which makes them want to eat you more. All of them want you for themselves," the owner of the voice came into view, but it didn't surprise Hitsugaya.

He already knew who it was.

"Kazu... ko..." Hitsugaya croaked, staring at his trusted fourth-seat in defeat. He had no idea why, but he didn't feel angry. He only felt an overwhelming sense of sadness at the betrayal of one of his most trusted officers.

Kazuko smiled wryly at him. "You don't seem so surprised. Is it because you recognised my voice, Hitsugaya Taicho?" Hitsugaya lowered his head, unable to speak. Betrayal seemed to like him for some reason. It liked to see him break down his walls from the anger and sadness, then reconstruct those walls to become even tougher. It liked to see him die inside.

"Why...?" He whispered softly, not wanting to look at his former subordinate. Sadness tinged his voice, and Kazuko winced, before regaining his composure.

"Because I have to. My master is expecting you," the fourth-seat answered, planning to make things for Hitsugaya even worse.

"You know, Hitsugaya Taicho, you've never really meant anything to me." He said cockily. Hitsugaya closed his eyes, bracing himself for the painful blow coming his way. "All of my efforts, my scraping, my pretense of being hardworking, it was all for this day," Kazuko went on.

"I can't believe you were so easily fooled that I was just a good, obedient fourth-seat. What did you think I was? Your most hardworking officer?" Kazuko sneered. "I only acted to gain your trust. My attitude was just a mask. Everything I did was just so you could put all your faith into me,"

"You're so gullible, Taicho," Those words stabbed at Hitsugaya and he winced. He knew it was coming, but it still hurt to hear it.

"Then... why do you still call me... 'Taicho'...?" Hitsugaya said hoarsely. Kazuko froze, then growled. A palm slapped across the ice captain's face.

"Shut up you imbecile! No one gave you the right to talk!" Kazuko snapped. Hitsugaya remained silent. "My master will make good use of you," the fourth-seat smirked, and took out his Zanpakuto.

"Play, Gohime*," The Zanpakuto warped, the blade splitting into five, stretched out like the veins on a palm leaf. "Gohime: Raihime*," The blades crackled with lightning, zapping at the air with power.

"You never saw my Zanpakuto before haven't you?" Kazuko said. "Her name is Gohime. She's a rather tricky one. Gohime has the ability to control five elements. In her case, time, space, sound, lightning..." he paused. "And most dangerous of all, the ability to warp memories,"

Hitsugaya felt shocked at the prospect.

"When you caught me calling someone instead of sending in the reports, I used Gohime to warp all of your memories. I especially changed Kuchiki Taicho's memories, since he was the one who caught me first," Kazuko smirked. "That's why it never crossed your mind to ask me about the reports again, didn't it?"

 _He's right._ Hitsugaya felt a shiver down his spine.

"I also used Gohime on the Unknowns, so that their hisses could only be heard by you," Kazuko continued.

"Just now, I also used Gohime to swap you with an Unknown doppelganger. And this space around us," Kazuko gestured to the black orb. "Was also created by Gohime,"

"So now..." Kazuko raised his electrifying blade. "I'll show you the power of Gohime's lightning," He stabbed the blade into Hitsugaya's chest.

No one heard the ice captain's broken scream and the zapping of lightning. As Hitsugaya fell unconscious he only had one thought on his mind.

There was a flash of light. The dark orb disappeared. A lone hell butterfly flew out of the alley, into the skies. And the alley looked as though nothing had happened.

 _I wish I could've... told Karin that I'm... sorry..._

* * *

 _A/N There you go guys! I may not be able to update very often anymore, but there! Hitsugaya gets kidnapped! Next chapter, Karin shows up, and Hitsugaya finally meets the mastermind behind everything! Thanks for reading guys!_

 ** _Reviews help me to work faster, so please review! I may update once or twice a month depending on my schedule. But if you guys review, I just might work faster! Thanks guys!_**

 **(*Gohime= Fifth Princess *Raihime= Lightning Princess)**


	28. FT COH: 27

_A/N Hey guys! Sorry for the super long wait! I was busy with school and everything... But now I'm back! So in the previous chapter, Hitsugaya gets kidnapped! Karin tries to commit suicide! O.O So in this chapter, Karin finally shows up! Hitsugaya meets the master of the Unknowns! What will happen to them? Happy reading!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it all._**

* * *

Karin walked on the streets, head hung low, arms wrapped around herself. She sighed. _I hope Ichi-nii, Yuzu and Oyaji will be okay without me..._ She thought. A voice at the back of her mind whispered, _And Toushiro._

She shook her head, continuing to walk numbly to her destination. _Toushiro won't miss me. He thinks I'm just a slut. He'll be happier without me._ Her body shuddered, remembering Hishiri's disgusting voice and hands. Those hands which took her innocence away. _Everyone will just forget about me. I'm nobody to them._

At last she reached her destination- the river. She watched the waters as they lapped at the shore, breaking in small waves. She knew how deep the river was, the surface coming up well above her head if her feet were on the riverbed.

Karin climbed onto the bridge above the river, balancing precariously on the railings. She had tied on a large rock to her ankle before that. Taking in a deep breath, she recalled all of her memories, both happy and sad. She remembered the day her brother first turned into a Shinigami. Meeting Don Kanonji, the TV Superstar, and working with that bastard Jinta, Ururu, Yuzu and Kon to fight against Hollows. _Karakura Red._

She remembered the day she first met Hitsugaya himself. He had been shorter, his attitude less warm than it was now. He had helped her with her soccer match, and saved her from a Hollow.

And she had liked him ever since then.

Meeting him again, after the Winter War. He helped with her soccer match once more, and then they met Grandma Haru. Helping her, sending spirits to Soul Society... and it had snowed. Beautiful, white snow. Just like him.

Karin felt tears drip down her face as she remembered the events in her life. She closed her eyes. This will be the last moment in her life. Before she disappeared.

"KARIN!"

The sudden shout snapped her from her thoughts. She knew that voice. Karin turned, forgetting that she was standing on the railings of a bridge. She saw a flash of white, and desperate teal eyes widening.

 _Toushiro?_

And then her foot slipped, and she cried out in alarm, before plummeting into the cold waters below. A shudder ran up her spine for an instance, and she felt her skin become rather clammy. She figured it was the water causing it.

She sank, the rock at her ankle pulling her down. She hadn't had time to take in a breath- not that she wanted to anyway.

Karin willingly let out her breath, and the water seeped into her lungs, choking. She couldn't breathe, but she didn't mind.

 _I was just imagining things,_ she thought, remembering the white hair and teal eyes she had seen. _Toushiro wasn't there. He won't be there. He doesn't care for me anymore, after all._

Karin could only see deep blue, so she closed her eyes and waited.

Her chest constricted, and her lungs felt about to burst. She inhaled through her nose, if only to quicken the pace. Her nostrils stung, and for a moment, she felt a brief flare of panic. _I'm dying._

But she forced down the emotion. She wanted this. She couldn't bear to live anymore. Better to just die, so no one else would have to suffer with her around.

Karin was vaguely aware of a splash above her, but she didn't look up. Her head felt light, and she felt at peace. Her skin numbed, senses dulling, so she didn't feel the hands that grabbed at her.

Didn't feel the water grow cold, and the rock tied to her ankle being cut loose.

Didn't feel herself being pulled out of the water, breaking to the surface.

She only felt a calm in her body.

Nothing else.

* * *

"Oi Karin! Hang in there, Karin!" Ichigo heard Hitsugaya yell as the ice captain reappeared, breaking through the water surface with Karin in his arms. Ichigo felt his panic rise- Karin wasn't moving. Her skin was pale, her lips blue, and her expression was one of serenity.

"No!" He cried out, feeling anger, feeling despair. He couldn't lose another family member. It would hurt too much.

Hitsugaya dragged her body back onto the ground, below the bridge. He glanced at Ichigo, eyes wide with desperation. His hand was on her wrist- sensing her pulse.

"There's no pulse," he whispered, eyes growing wider. Ichigo moved forward. He knew CPR- Isshin had beat the knowledge into him at a young age.

"Move aside Toushiro!" He yelled, and the ice captain quickly moved, watching as Ichigo placed his palms on Karin's chest, and began to beat rapidly.

"Don't die on me," Ichigo whispered, watching his younger sister's face for any flickering- anything that would tell him that she was still okay. "Don't die, please."

"She needs air Kurosaki." Hitsugaya croaked, his teal orbs shadowed with guilt and grief. Ichigo knew that, but he was reluctant to _kiss_ his own sister.

Hitsugaya saw his uncertainty. "I'll do it then," he snapped, moving forward. "You just keep thumping."

"Wait what?" Ichigo sputtered, shocked. "Oh no you-"

"Ichigo!" Hitsugaya snapped again, looking at the orange-haired teen tiredly. Ichigo immediately paused, though his hands instinctively kept beating, as his brown eyes widened. Hitsugaya had just called him by _his name._

"Please," the ice captain slumped, lowering his gaze. "This is my fault. At least let me fix it in someway." He pleaded. Ichigo was at a loss for words.

Hitsugaya felt guilty for making Karin go suicidal.

Unable to say anything, the Substitute could only nod and stop thumping. Hitsugaya moved forward, and Ichigo heard him murmur a soft 'please forgive me', before placing his lips against Karin's and breathing air into her.

Like a fairy tale, where the prince's kiss would awaken the princess, Karin suddenly choked out water, her body lurching, her once peaceful face contorted in pain. "Karin!" Ichigo cried, feeling his breath hitch. His sister's coughing died down, and then she was breathing again, if not slightly ragged. Hitsugaya slumped again, this time with relief, running a hand through his dripping wet hair.

Karin was still out cold, though. Ichigo was about to carry her when Hitsugaya reached out first. The ice captain carried the unconscious soccer girl in his arms, bridal-style, and held her tightly to his chest. He caught the questioning, suspicious look in the Substitute's gaze.

"Please, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya sighed. "I need to make it up to her. I hurt her instead when she needed my help. I rejected her apologies, and made her like this..." Their eyes met, brown ones still observing quietly, teal ones saddened and exhausted.

"... Fine." Ichigo huffed, turning away. "But don't you dare drop her, or I will Bankai your ass to the moon and back." He added with a growl. Hitsugaya offered a weak smile.

"I won't. Thank you." He breathed, and slowly began to walk back. They had to get Karin back to the Kurosaki residence before anything else happened.

Ichigo eyed Hitsugaya closely. The boy was walking straighter, taller, as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. Did the incident really affect him that much? The strawberry had no idea just how much Hitsugaya loved his sister. _He'll have to prove it to me then,_ Ichigo sniffed, following Hitsugaya.

Curious gazes landed on them as they walked along the street. Ichigo saw a couple of students from Karin's school too, and they seemed rather shocked when they saw Karin motionless in Hitsugaya's arms, both soaking wet.

Ichigo noticed the ice captain stiffen and glare at the students who were watching them, his teal eyes narrowed with a hidden message, telling them clearly to back off. The students, who had discreetly taken out their phones to snap photos of them, froze, and slowly tucked their phones back into their pockets.

Ichigo was surprised- why did Hitsugaya do such a thing? He had no idea what it was that happened in school before the incident just now, but he could see that the students that passed by them were genuinely... _afraid_ of the ice captain.

"Oi, Toushiro," Ichigo couldn't help but ask. Hitsugaya tilted his head back, waiting for him to continue. "What exactly happened in school earlier?"

The ice captain suddenly growled, his hair bristling at the question. "I told you," he muttered, teal eyes dark with rage. "I made Hinamori tell the truth, and I beat up Sanjo Hishiri, crushing his dick too."

Ichigo had heard of the name Sanjo Hishiri before. Karin had called him a big bully, the strongest one in the school. He had beat teachers and liked to break rules. Hadn't Hitsugaya mentioned that Hishiri was the one who mainly raped Karin too?

No wonder the students were afraid- Hitsugaya had badly beaten up the worst bully in their school. Ichigo gave a satisfied snort. He wanted to kick Hishiri's ass for raping his sister, but at least Hitsugaya had done that for him.

They continued walking in silence, quickly reaching the Kurosaki household. Ichigo opened the door, since Hitsugaya couldn't, and they went into the living room. Matsumoto, Rukia, Isshin and Yuzu were there, as well as a slumped Hinamori, who stood at a corner with her head bowed.

Yuzu and Isshin jumped to their feet when they entered, and Ichigo saw that his youngest sister had been crying, her eyes puffy and red, her nose running. Apparently, Matsumoto and Rukia had already told them about the matter. She gasped when she saw her sister in Hitsugaya's arms and ran to him, looking at her sister despairingly. "Karin-chan...!" She sobbed, beginning to cry again.

Isshin put a hand around his crying daughter, looking at his former third-seat and son sadly. "... Is she okay?" He whispered. Hitsugaya nodded, and the former captain managed a strained smile of relief.

Isshin took Karin's body from Hitsugaya gently, and quickly brought her up to her room, Yuzu following after, still crying pitifully.

Matsumoto and Rukia came to them then, and the 10th Division Vice-Captain held a towel. "Taicho..." the busty woman whispered worriedly as Hitsugaya suddenly swayed.

"... I'm fine." The ice captain murmured, allowing Matsumoto to dry up his hair for him as he sank into one of the dining table's chairs. Ichigo watched Hitsugaya slump, resting his head against one of his arms on the table.

"Ichigo... Are you alright?" Rukia asked him, and Ichigo gazed at the petite Shinigami. He nodded, staring into her dark violet eyes. Rukia seemed relieved by that prospect. "You should still rest. It's been a hectic day." She suggested.

Ichigo shrugged, heading to the chair beside Hitsugaya's. Matsumoto had finished drying up his hair, but the ice captain hadn't moved, only occasionally shifting to find a better, more comfortable position for his head.

"Oi Toushiro," Ichigo said, poking the white-haired captain. Hitsugaya lifted his head wearily, blinking at him. "Are _you_ alright?"

"It's nothing to worry about," the captain huffed. "... I'm just tired, that's all. With everything going on..." He lay his head back down again.

"Then you should change out of those wet clothes and go take a nap or something." Ichigo snorted. Hitsugaya actually seemed to consider it. Then he scoffed, standing up again.

"... Very well." He muttered, heading up the stairs. He passed by Hinamori as he did so, but didn't even look at her, and the 5th Division Vice-Captain flinched, seeming to shrink into herself even more.

Ichigo couldn't help but glare at the girl responsible for everything. It was _her_ fault Karin got raped and had to suffer. He wondered if Aizen Sousuke, Hinamori's former captain, and the man who had caused the Winter War to occur, had influenced the vice-captain in some other way.

Like his cunning, and sinister planning.

It was then the home phone rang, and Ichigo stood to pick it up. "Hello?" He said, rather snappishly.

"Hello, this is Mr Otorabashi Hira, the principal of Karakura High. May I please speak to Mr Kurosaki Isshin?" Came the reply. Ichigo's eyes narrowed.

"The old man's busy. This is Kurosaki Ichigo, his son. What do you want?" He scowled, his mood having already worsened thinking about the treacherous Aizen.

"... Ah, Mr Ichigo. It's... concerning your sister, Kurosaki Karin." The principal replied after a short silence. Obviously, Otorabashi was not used to being spoken so rudely to.

"Let me guess. You've called to tell us that Karin is innocent. She didn't rape anyone, and instead it was just a set-up by one of her ' _classmates_ '." At the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Hinamori flinch again.

There was a stunned silence. "How did you-" the principal spluttered.

" _Karin_ nearly committed _suicide,_ you f*cking jeezer." Ichigo snarled.

"She _what_?!" Otorabashi gasped.

"She told us what happened on the day you suspended her. A couple of my friends and I looked into the matter, and just today we found out about it. Hitsugaya Toushiro, a friend of mine and one of the boys Karin _supposedly_ raped, figured out the whole thing."

"... Ah, yes Hitsugaya Toushiro. If he is with you, I would like to-" the principal nervously said.

"Don't change the f*cking subject, bastard," Ichigo hissed dangerously, enraged. The principal went quiet. "Toushiro came here to check on Karin after finding out the truth, but then he found that she was gone, and she had left a letter, indicating that she was going to _commit suicide._ We found her on time, luckily, but she's still unconscious."

"... But... I gave her the suspension so that she could think..." The principal stammered.

"About _what_? Something that she didn't do? Obviously you're a worser principal than I thought, because you didn't bother to investigate the whole thing and listen to the other side of the story properly. You just f*cking believed the lies of the f*cking person behind it instead!" Ichigo thundered into the phone, unable to contain his rage. He heard Hinamori whimper, and glared at her accusingly.

"If you actually had the common sense to use your goddamn brain and _think_ about the matter for a moment before deciding what to do, Karin probably wouldn't have gone suicidal!" Ichigo continued on heatedly.

"Actually giving her a damn suspension just made her feel _worse,_ you son of a bitch! She just got raped, then _blamed_ for raping people with false evidence, and then the f*cking principal can't even trust a single word she says just because of that evidence!" He roared on, slamming a fist on the counter angrily. He felt Rukia put a reassuring hand on his bicep, and relaxed slightly, but the rage was still there.

"I can tell you that I've seen the pictures which showed Toushiro and Karin together in the bathroom. _That_ incident had just been a set-up for fun! And they kissed willingly, it wasn't forced! The pictures which showed them sleeping together was also something they _wanted_ to do together!"

The principal had been silent the whole time, listening as Ichigo flared at him for being a 'blind old jeezer'.

"Even though Karin cried in front of you, you didn't believe a single word she said. Did you think she was crying because she was guilty?! That she just made up a stupid excuse? Did you even find the whole thing suspicious?" Ichigo demanded.

"... I must apologise, Mr Ichigo. I had no idea at all-"

"DON'T F*CKING APOLOGISE!" Ichigo thundered furiously. The principal went silent once more.

"Karin never lies," he scowled, trying to control his temper. "Sure, she hides her feelings and acts tough, but that's because she doesn't want anyone worrying about her. But that's also the reason why she broke. She couldn't handle all the blame anymore. That was the first time I saw her cry so much, ever since our mom died when she was just _two,_ "

"So apologies won't solve anything. You didn't help her when she needed the help, and instead just worsened the blame already on her shoulders," Ichigo growled. "You can forget about whatever you wanted to say. Go and f*cking shove your phone up your ass for all I care," With that, Ichigo slammed the phone back down, and turned to the cowering Hinamori.

"And you," He snarled, eyes glaring. Hinamori froze up, eyes wide with fear, and pursed her lips as tears welled in her eyes. "Don't you _ever_ mess with the Kurosakis ever again, bitch." The 5th Division Vice-Captain sobbed, nodding quietly, as she sank to the ground and buried her face in her legs.

"Ichigo, you need to calm down." Rukia said softly. Ichigo looked at the Kuchiki noble, feeling his anger deflate. He nodded, rubbing his temple.

"Sorry, Rukia..." he muttered.

"Go take a nap, Ichigo." Matsumoto suggested. Ichigo nodded again, sighing as he climbed up the stairs. He paused at Karin's door, seeing that the door knob had been broken off- probably Hitsugaya's doing. He pushed open the door gently, and saw Karin lying on her bed, dressed in new garments. Yuzu slept beside her, having dragged over a chair. What surprised him, though, was that Hitsugaya was there as well, dressed in new clothes, sitting on the floor and staring into space.

The ice captain noticed Ichigo standing there, and gave a tired smile. "I heard you downstairs. The principal called, huh?" He asked quietly, making sure not to wake the two sisters as he stood up. Ichigo nodded, Hitsugaya exiting the room.

"What were you doing in there?" He asked suspiciously.

"I was watching her sleep." Hitsugaya muttered, a faint blush on his cheeks as he spoke.

" _Just_ watching her sleep?" Ichigo probed. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"What are you suggesting that I did?" He sniffed.

"Something." The Substitute answered.

"I assure you, I didn't do anything. I just sat there and... thought for a moment," The captain sighed. "Shiba Taicho left some time ago too so..."

"Thought about what?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes. Hitsugaya blinked.

"My past..." he mumbled in response, then turned and went back to the guest room, obviously indicating that the comversation had ended. Ichigo watched him go quietly, before heading into his own room as well to take a short nap.

* * *

 _Where... am I...?_

Hitsugaya let out a stiff groan of pain as he blinked his eyes. His body ached, his chest the worst of all. It felt like something had been stabbed through him and fired electricity. Then he realised that that was exactly what had happened.

Everything that happened returned to him all at once. Kazuko had betrayed him. He had been trying to save Karin from suicide when the fourth-seat came and took him away. The Unknowns had tormented him, feeding off his reiatsu hungrily and left him weak and defenseless.

 _I hope Kurosaki managed to rescue her before it's too late..._ he thought. That was when he realised where he was.

He was in a dark room, which had rotting stone walls covered in moss and algae, and a distinct smell to it which made him want to gag. He saw bones at a corner too, dirty and broken. Hitsugaya shuddered, and he went to pinch the bridge of his nose, but found that he could not.

Surprised, he looked at his arms, and found them being hung by chains on the ceiling, at his sides, lifted into the air. His legs had chains too, he saw.

And he also found that he was topless, his bare chest revealing all the scars and bite marks caused by the Unknowns. Strangely, his wounds were gone.

Hitsugaya scowled, struggling against his binds. He had never been forced into such an undignified position in his life. He tried to use some reiatsu to freeze the chains, but found that he could not, and eventually realised that the chains were made of reiatsu-suppressing material. _What the..._

He had no idea where the heck he was.

Hyourinmaru was gone, and so was his gigai. He knew he was in his Shinigami form because Kazuko had forced him out before he fell unconscious. Hitsugaya seethed quietly, unable to escape from his prison.

He remembered Kazuko mentioning something about a 'master'. _Is that 'master' here? Is_ Kazuko _here?_

He had no idea. Apparently, the stone walls were also blocking his reiatsu-sensing abilities. It reminded him of Seireitei's Senzaikyu. The white tower prevented reiatsu from being sensed both inside and out, as well as made it impossible to use reiatsu while being held there. Hitsugaya scowled. It was troublesome.

Then he heard footsteps, and a door opened, letting in some very bright light. Hitsugaya turned his head away, squinting. He saw a blurred shadow enter, then the door closed and the light disappeared, causing him to blink.

Suddenly, something sharp brushed the space between his collarbones on his chest, and he flinched.

Only to see a pair of rather malicious poison yellow eyes.

Hitsugaya forced himself to be composed, unwilling to show his shock. He stared at the creature before him, and was surprised to see that it looked like a Hollow, when at first, he had thought it was an Unknown.

The Hollow's mask was sharp at the chin, and horns sprouted from its head, curling outwards. A forked tongue flickered in and out from its mouth, which had the usual sharp teeth. The monster's body was white, and surprisingly it had black streaks on its body, mainly around the biceps. It had the same hole in its chest every Hollow had, and its hands and feet were topped with menacingly sharp claws. A tail lashed behind it, the end of it splashed with more black.

Hitsugaya shuddered, a feeling of recognition running up his spine. _But I don't know this Hollow._ So why did he feel like... he did?

 **"Awake now...?"** the Hollow hissed. Hitsugaya's eyes widened slightly, surprised. Somehow, he knew that voice. Chuckling, the beast ran a claw up and down his chest, tracing the outlines of the scars on his body. The ice captain winced as it rubbed against one of the nubs on his chest, the hairs on his skin rising as he shivered.

"W-what are you doing?" He snapped, trying to pull back. The chains on his limbs made it difficult to do so. The Hollow laughed once more, its voice with that same empty tone other Hollows had.

 **"Is it wrong of me to touch my prisoner?"** it hissed, sounding delighted as it ran a hand down his waist. Hitsugaya shuddered once more. The feeling felt familiar. Like he had experienced it before. And the words the Hollow had said...

"I am the 10th Division Captain of the Gotei 13, Hitsugaya Toushiro! I demand that you release me at once!" Hitsugaya growled, trying to raise his reiatsu level. But the chains on him made that difficult too.

The Hollow's tongue flicked out again, brushing his cheek. The ice captain cringed back, tilting his head away.

That left his neck exposed.

And the Hollow sank its teeth into his skin right there. Hitsugaya cried out as the sharp canines pierced into him, and he found it difficult to breathe. His reiatsu began draining away, the same ability to devour reiatsu as the Unknowns.

Hitsugaya's body convulsed, then trembled, and his eyesight blurred as his reiatsu was taken away once more. He couldn't speak- could only breathe rapidly with shallow breaths. The Hollow purred as it continued to drink him, and its tongue rasped over his skin gently, causing goosebumps to rise.

"S-sto-op..." Hitsugaya gasped, letting out an involuntary groan of pain. He couldn't fight back with the chains on as they restricted his movements. The monster merely bit in harder, making him tense up even more and whimper.

After a while, it pulled back, blood glistening on its teeth. Hitsugaya slumped, his neck aching, his breathing hoarse. He felt depleted; even if the chains were off and the room was made of ordinary stone, he wouldn't have enough energy to cast a simple Kido spell.

The Hollow licked its lips hungrily. **"As always, little Toshi. Your weak spots are so easy to find."** it grinned.

Hitsugaya froze. _Little... Toshi...?_

 **"Ah... Are you remembering something?"** the Hollow asked with mock curiosity. **"Do you finally know who I am?"**

At the ice captain's silence, it frowned. **"No?"** Then it grinned once more, and it reached out and touched his palm. Hitsugaya yelped as a sudden burning sensation flared through his palm, but the monster still held its hand there. Hitsugaya cried out louder, attempting to twist his hand away. **"Don't you remember this?"**

It then reached up and caressed his nipples, causing Hitsugaya to shiver once more, a flush on his cheeks. **"This?"**

A hand grabbed at his hair and yanked down hard, Hitsugaya's head being pulled back. The ice captain cried out again, pain zapping through his skin. The Hollow bent and began licking the skin of his waist, and he squirmed, gasping sensitively. **"What about this?"**

Hitsugaya knew those actions. He knew them very well. The hand-burning, the touching, licking-

The Hollow suddenly pierced a claw into his chest and dragged it down. Hitsugaya screamed at the sudden agony, and blood spurted out of the growing wound. **"You even forgot this pain?"**

\- and the torture which left him half-dead every time.

He knew them all. But why would a Hollow...

A memory came to him- he had been chained up like this before. But there was only one person who would do such things to him...

 _It can't be..._

 **"What's wrong, Little Toshi? What happened to the big, brave, heroic you?"** The Hollow cackled maniacally. Hitsugaya's eyes widened even further.

Everything came back to him at once. His memories of the past, the mysteries he had been trying to solve, everything.

 **"Now..."** the Hollow grinned, and lifted Hitsugaya's chin so that they could meet eye to eye. **"Do you know who I am?"**

Hitsugaya's body trembled, his head about to explode as the memories surged in like a tsunami. His vision momentarily grew white as he nearly passed out. But he remembered. He knew everything.

Hitsugaya felt fear, then. Black, pulsing fear, the same as the one he had experienced in the past. He couldn't speak, but he had to. He opened his mouth, trying to force out his voice. Trying to make it quick so as to avoid more pain.

"T- ahh..!" He gasped, cut short. The Hollow had started to tease one of his nipples again. Hitsugaya trembled, knowing that it was a challenge. He had to speak soon. The malignant glint in those yellow eyes told him that he didn't have time left.

 **"What was that, Little Toshi?"** it hissed, laughter in its taunting tone. Hitsugaya gulped, trying to push down the emotions. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, trying to ignore the hands on his body. Then he opened them again.

"T-Tou... -chan...?"

* * *

 _A/N Aha! Bet you guys didn't see that coming! (Ok, forgive me for the parts that seemed like a yaoi thing, but ahem just ignore them all) So, Karin is saved, thank goodness. Ichigo gives the principal a piece of his mind! And Hitsugaya finds the mastermind... His own father! Oh dear! What will happen to them? Next chapter, we're taking a break from the main story as we delve into Hitsugaya's past! That's right guys, the next few chapters will be about the ice prince and his memories! Just what happened to him and his family? Find out in the next chapter! Thanks for reading guys!_

 ** _Reviews make me work faster, and motivate me, of course, so do review! Thanks everyone!_**

 **(P.S This story had become more M-rated, I realised... But! There won't be so much sexual content next time! More action, yeah! I hope my readers are all still there... :'))**


	29. FT COH: Hitsugaya

_A/N Hey guys sorry for the wait. I had some things going on, and I lost motivation for a while. But now I'm back! In the previous chapter, Karin gets saved. And we find out who the mastermind behind the Unknown attacks is! This chapter, we delve into Hitsugaya's past. Think of it as one of those fillers in the anime, only it's a few chapters long. So we'll have to sidetrack off the main story for a while. Hope that's okay with all of you, and besides, some of your questions will be answered! Enjoy!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite does._**

* * *

 **Centuries ago...**

* * *

A young boy, about the age of five, with an unusual shock of white hair and stunning teal eyes, ran through the yard, squealing happily. Behind him chased an older man with matching white hair and mischievous amber eyes that almost looked red.

"Raargh! I'm a big, scary monster!" the man growled loudly, in a playful manner. The child laughed and ran, nearly tripping over his small feet. Their shouts echoed through the air, accompanied by a fit of giggles as the man caught up to the child and swept the little boy into his arms, swinging him around.

"Finally, caught you! It's time to eat!" the man exclaimed, baring his teeth teasingly. The child squealed as he leaned as far away as possible from the man, a wide grin on his face as he struggled in the strong grip around his waist.

"Alright, that's enough now sweethearts." came a soft, kind voice. The child turned his head to see a beautiful lady with silky black hair and the same teal eyes as his. She walked towards them, smiling amusedly. The man set the child back down on the ground, and he ran to the woman, smiling broadly.

"Kaa-chan!" the child exclaimed happily, hugging her legs. The woman bent down and picked the child up in her arms, pecking him on the forehead.

"Hello my precious sweetie." She cooed, and the child giggled. She set him back down, and he spun around happily, dashing towards their house.

His name was Hitsugaya Toushiro. He liked his name, since it was given to him by his mother. Speaking of his mother, her name was Hitsugaya Fujioka. He loved her tremendously, and always enjoyed it when she cared for him.

As for his father, his name was Tsukikenshi. Apparently, he had no first name of his own, so Hitsugaya inherited his mother's.

Tsukikenshi, or known affectionately as Tsuki by his mother, was the CEO of a major business that had branches all over the world. Thus, their family was actually quite well-off, though Hitsugaya was nowhere near to becoming a spoiled brat. His father made certain of that.

Both of his parents wished the very best for him, to be excellent in his academics and athletics, yet humble and kind. Hitsugaya wanted to meet their expectations, despite feeling a small burden on his shoulders from that.

Despite his age, he was actually already quite talented. He could read books which were thicker than those for an average five-year old child, and with minimum pictures. He could understand some of the political things his father often talked about when he was conversing with his colleagues, and could speak long sentences with slightly limited vocabulary.

His father liked to play sports, and thus Hitsugaya learned many things from him, including Tsukikenshi's favourite sport, soccer.

He was even learning the basics of cooking just by watching his mother cook their everyday meals.

His father called him a prodigy. His mother called him a sweetheart.

And Hitsugaya loved them both.

* * *

Hitsugaya soon became seven years old. He enrolled in an elementary school, topped his level for his studies. Skipped two grades and joined the seniors. Yet he still beat them all in his academic results, therefore being the best in the whole school.

It wasn't only his academics which he excelled in. Even his fitness level was on par with an average middle school student. He joined the soccer club, and helped bring back the championship trophy during their nationals for elementary schools.

He even helped out in the kendo club at times, as his father had enrolled him in kendo and karate classes outside of school, for 'self-defense'.

The teachers called him a prodigy. His classmates called him a genius.

But even with all the praise showered upon him, Hitsugaya had no friends.

It wasn't everyday one found a white-haired, teal-eyed boy besting everyone in his school. Some of his schoolmates called him a freak behind his back, though he could actually hear them. But he didn't care.

He had admirers, he had people who envied him, he had people who supported him in everything he did. He had a few acquaintances.

But not a _close_ friend.

He had no one he could trust with all of his secrets, no one to let out his feelings to when he was stressed. But he never really cared about that either.

He had his parents. They were all he needed.

* * *

As Hitsugaya slowly grew older, he became more aware of his strange ability to see spiritual beings. Meaning, ghosts.

It first began to affect him when he was around three. The figures were often blurry and their words were just soft murmurs. At five, they became clearer and sharper, and he could see their distinct features, as well as hear their words. Because he was young, and curious, he would often wave or shout a greeting to the ghosts he passed by, earning him questioning gazes from both his parents and the people around him.

At seven, they became so clear, Hitsugaya often had a hard time ignoring them.

The ghosts apparently knew that he could see them, and liked to follow him around, trying to get him to respond. He did respond at times, when he was alone, and he enjoyed hearing their stories or their pasts. They were all different, though some he wondered if they were just tall tales.

The ghosts liked him, though Hitsugaya sometimes found it rather creepy when they stalked him everywhere.

He joined middle school when he was ten, and eventually he became busier, and thus was unable to talk to the ghosts around him. This resulted in him having to chase them away when they became too annoying, much to his sadness.

Even in middle school he was the best of the best, skipping another two grades.

And it was then, at the age of ten, did he first encounter a Hollow, and a Shinigami.

* * *

Hitsugaya was walking back home from his soccer practice in school. It was late evening, and he was looking forward to going home and relaxing in a nice, warm bath. The city was crowded and he slowly maneuvered his way through the hordes of people returning from work or going out for dinner.

It was then he heard soft sniffling from an alleyway and turned to see a young female ghost with a chain on her chest.

He moved to her, and she was squatting on the ground, crying.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, crouching down in front of her.

The ghostly girl perked up, tearful eyes wide with surprise. **"You're..."** she whispered. Hitsugaya patted her head, a little stunned to feel actual hair.

"Why are you crying?" He asked her gently, giving her a small warm smile. The girl swallowed, lowering her head, refusing to speak.

Behind him, Hitsugaya heard a little boy say, "Look Mommy! That guy's talking to the air!" He heard a sharp hush from an older woman. He decided to ignore it.

"Is there a problem?" He tried, gazing at the girl before him in concern. She hesitated, biting her lip, then slowly nodded, looking almost fearful. "What is it? You can tell me, I won't hurt you." He coaxed.

 **"I..."** The girl stammered, sniffling again. Then she flinched and clutched her head, trembling. Hitsugaya frowned, about to ask her what was wrong, when he suddenly heard it.

A long, loud moan that sent chills up his spine.

Hitsugaya jolted upright, looking around for the source of the strange sound. The people around him didn't seem to have heard it. _Was it just my imagination?_ he wondered, his frown growing deeper. He glanced back down at the frightened girl. _Perhaps not, seeing how scared she is._

 _There's something terrifying out there._

The moan came again. Hitsugaya flinched at how close it sounded now and whipped his head from side to side, scanning the area for anything suspicious.

His insides squirmed, and he grimaced, backing away slightly. **"I-It's coming,"** the girl whispered, her voice breaking. Tears streamed down her face. **"It's coming to get me."**

"What's coming to get you?" Hitsugaya asked, a sense of foreboding flashing through his head. Things were getting quite out of hand. They had to leave.

Now.

 **"T-the monster,"** The girl gulped, sobbing. **"T-the monster which made that sound. It's coming to _eat_ me." **Hitsugaya stared at her, mouth going dry.

Then he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. "You have to get out of here then," he said, pulling her into the streets. "I'll take you to my house for the time being. Come on."

The girl seemed shocked that someone would actually help her. Then she nodded tearily, sniffing. **"Thank you... Onii-chan..."** Hitsugaya gave her a small smile back.

But that was when the ground trembled, and the moan from before became a roar of hunger and anger. People screamed as the buildings around them were suddenly streaked with deep, grating claw marks. Giant footsteps appeared in the ground, and a lamppost collapsed. A white mist shrouded the area.

Hitsugaya was hit by an onslaught of biting wind and covered his face with an arm, grunting. The girl clung to him tightly, whimpering in fear.

And through the mist came a monster.

Hitsugaya could only stare with mounting horror as the monster gazed around with bright poison yellow eyes through its white mask. Its arms with lined with thick muscle, and a long pointed tongue flicked out of its mouth. It opened its mouth and let out another long howl. Hitsugaya saw rows and rows of jagged teeth.

Deadly claws tipped each finger and toe, and a long barbed tail swung behind it, slamming into the buildings.

Hitsugaya couldn't breathe. His heart was thumping wildly, his breath stuck in his throat as he stared at the towering monstrosity in front of him. It was so close-

 **"O-Onii-chan..."** the girl whimpered, gripping his arm even more tightly. Hearing the girl's terrified voice snapped him out of his own frozen state, and Hitsugaya slowly backed off, pushing the girl back as well.

"Move back slowly," he hissed to her, edging back. The girl complied, gulping in her fright.

The monster seemed to be searching for something, sniffing the air like a dog.

"Go! Now!" Hitsugaya snapped, and pulled the girl into a sprint, keeping a tight hold on her hand. They ran through the streets quickly, and Hitsugaya risked a look back.

The monster's yellow gaze met his own wide teal one.

 **"I fOunD yOU, LitTle GIrL...!"** it grinned malevolently. Hitsugaya stumbled in his shock. _The monster could speak._

"Hurry!" He told the girl urgently, pushing himself to move faster. The girl panted hard, her eyes brimming with frightened tears.

Hitsugaya heard heavy footsteps behind them, and knew that the beast was chasing them.

Then there was a sudden tremor, and the monster came down in front of them from above, grinning all the while.

The girl screamed, and Hitsugaya skidded to a halt, quickly turning back the way they came. His fear was mounting, higher and higher at an alarming rate.

 **"YoU caN'T EscApE fRom mE, hUmAN boY!"** the beast cackled. Hitsugaya flinched, and tripped over a rock. He slammed to the ground, and his karate instincts kicked in, quickly rolling and getting back on his feet again.

He staggered, breathing hard as he pulled the ghost girl behind him. He didn't know how he was going to protect her, but he knew he had to, in any way. The monster took a step forward, licking its lips.

Hitsugaya moved back, the girl moving with him.

 **"AhhhH... YoU hAve soME nIcE ReIAtsU, hUmAN...!"** the beast grinned, yellow eyes glowing darkly. Hitsugaya gulped. Reiatsu? What was that?

 **"I'lL eAT yoU BOth!"**

And then the monster charged.

"Run! Go!" Hitsugaya yelled, pushing the girl forward desperately. She took off with a terrified wail, and Hitsugaya sprinted after her. The monster was on their heels, rapidly gaining.

 _We won't make it alive,_ Hitsugaya thought, fear stabbing his heart.

Escape, escape, escape! They had to escape. That was the only thing that was important. Nothing else mattered.

He could feel the monster's breath now.

 _Faster. Faster, faster!_

Adrenaline stemmed through his body, and he grabbed the ghost girl before swinging her into his arms in a bridal style, running as fast as he could.

Faster than he ever had.

But it was futile. The monster grabbed him by his waist with a large, meaty hand. He dropped the girl as he was raised into the air. " _RUN_!" He roared at her, wincing as the grip on his waist tightened painfully.

The girl hesitated for a split second, then ran off down the streets, disappearing round the corner.

 **"Oh wEll... I'lL cAtcH hER lAtER."** the monster shrugged. Hitsugaya struggled in its grip, and hissed when its finger pressed against his chest agonisingly.

"L-let me go...!" He gasped out, glaring ferociously at the beast. It grinned, and pushed harder against his chest. Hitsugaya felt his ribcage strain, and his lungs felt about to burst. He couldn't breathe.

He gasped for air, trying to slip out of its hold, but failing. A harder press. And Hitsugaya screamed at the pain of it, thrashing in its grip, coughing and choking violently.

 **"YoU'rE a SmAll, pUNy hUmAN. YoUNg. AnD yET yoU hAVE sO MucH PowER,"** the beast mused, watching with a pleased gaze as Hitsugaya slowly grew limp in its hold, unable to breathe. **"a DeLIcioUS fiND."**

Hitsugaya felt his head roll to the side. His vison grew blur, his head light, body numb. He was dimly aware of the beast opening its mouth, adjusting its grip so it held onto his thin arm. He hung there in the air, motionless, his body screaming for help, for rest.

The mouth grew nearer still.

 _I guess this is how I'll die... Tou-chan, Kaa-chan... I'm sorry..._

"I don't think so, you ugly Hollow." Came a confident voice.

Before Hitsugaya knew what was happening to him, the weight on his arm was gone, and he was falling. A brief bout of panic flashed through him.

Until someone caught him.

"Don't worry little guy," the voice told him soothingly. "You'll be alright now."

Hitsugaya didn't know who the voice belonged to, and was certain he never heard such a voice before. And he was rather annoyed by how the person who caught him called him 'little guy'. He was not _little_ , for god's sake.

Through his lidded gaze, he saw glowing black eyes which looked like obsidian. A mocking grin.

The monster, which the man had referred to as a 'Hollow', let out a pained bellow. **"M-mY aRm! CuRSe YoU, ShInigAMi!"** it screamed, enraged. A howl.

And then it abruptly stopped.

Hitsugaya heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn in what seemed like a nanosecond, then slicing.

Silence.

Hitsugaya blinked dazedly as he was set down on the ground by his rescuer. _The monster had been killed._ His chest still ached with a numb pain, his body sore. He definitely needed to check for broken bones.

A familiar face appeared in his blurred vision, and he realised that it was the ghost girl from earlier. She was crying tears of relief. **"Onii-chan! I'm so glad you're alright!"** she sobbed, hugging him tight. Hitsugaya managed to lift up his arm and pat her on the head, slowly forcing himself into a sitting position. His body screamed at him, and he winced.

"You alright kid?" came the man's voice, and Hitsugaya couldn't stop himself from scowling.

"I'm not a kid." He snapped, turning to face whoever it was that had saved him from certain death.

A man who looked to be in his early thirties sat cross-legged on the ground beside him, a sheathed katana lying on his lap. His slightly spiked hair was thick and shiny black, and his eyes shone with humour and concern. The strangest thing was that he was wearing a black Shihakusho, as though he was cosplaying as a samurai of some sort.

"Oh, you can see me," The man's grin grew wider in delighted surprise. "No wonder that Hollow wanted you for dinner."

Hitsugaya felt his brow twitch. "Of course I can see you. Who wouldn't?" He scowled, slowly checking himself over for broken bones. Luckily, he had none, though his wrist hurt. He must have sprained it.

"Ordinary people," The man lazily answered, his grin still there. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow, bewildered. What did that mean? "Your friend here asked me for help to save you. I'm surprised you told a spirit to run away, when you're a human."

"What, and you aren't?" Hitsugaya scowled. "She was crying and scared, since that monster was hunting her. I just wanted to protect her, that's all."

"Wow, pretty brave for an elementary student. Well, I gotta-" the man was cut off by an agonised yelp escaping his lips when Hitsugaya kicked him in the groin.

"I'm _not_ an elementary student! I'm in middle school!" He yelled, extremely frustrated. The ghost girl was staring between the both of them, looking blank.

"Ow... N-nice kick..." The man groaned, doubling over in pain.

"I can kick you again, asshole." Hitsugaya growled, lifting a foot up in emphasis.

"Wow, what a foul mouth! What did your parents teach you, how to swear and be rude to your elders?" The man grimaced, frowning at him.

"My parents are the best in the universe, but I just happened to pick up this _foul_ mouth of mine from my father when he gets angry with his work, and right now _I_ am angry at you." Hitsugaya shot back, glowering at the man.

"Why?" The man asked, bewildered.

"Because you haven't explained to me what just happened. What was that monster? Why was it after this girl? And who, or _what_ , are you?" Hitsugaya demanded, clenching his fists.

The man ignored him, proceeding to pick up his katana and approach the girl. "Hey!" Hitsugaya snapped, irritated.

The next thing that happened left him speechless. The man pressed the back of his hilt against the girl's forehead, pulling back to reveal a shining stamp imprinted on her skin. She gasped, eyes widening, and then she slowly faded into small bright particles of light. A butterfly with dark purple wings came up from the ground where the girl once stood, and fluttered up into the sky.

Hitsugaya stood there, shell-shocked. He stared after the butterfly, watching as it flew higher and higher into the skies, till it became a speck, and then disappeared.

"Wh-what did you just do?" He asked, after finding his voice again.

"I sent her to a safer place," the man replied, a soft smile gracing his lips. "And to answer your questions, that monster earlier was called a Hollow, evil spirits which feed on Plus souls, like that girl. That's why it was chasing her, so it could feed on her and become even stronger." He tucked his katana back into his belt, and turned away.

"Wait!" Hitsugaya said, watching as the man slowly began to walk away. He ran after him and grabbed his sleeve. "What are you?" He whispered, staring up at him. It was still taking a while for Hitsugaya to process the information, after the shock of seeing the girl disappear in a flash.

Literally.

The man stopped in his tracks, and Hitsugaya let go. A grin was delivered to him.

"It is my job to exterminate the Hollows," the man said. "My name is Shiba Tetsura,"

"I am a Shinigami."

And with that, he disappeared.

* * *

After that first encounter with the Hollow, Hitsugaya began to have more similar incidents occur to him. One time he had been practicing soccer with his teammates, when a Hollow appeared and went straight for _him._ The same man from before appeared and saved him again.

Another time, he had been going out to buy groceries when a different Hollow ambushed him and nearly ate him. Again, the 'Shinigami' came and rescued him.

Hitsugaya was tired of being Hollow food. He wanted to ask the man who kept saving him why he was being targetted and _how he could move so quickly,_ but the man kept disappearing the minute the Hollow was slain.

It annoyed Hitsugaya.

He prayed that it wouldn't get any worse. Being chased around by Hollows and having all that supernatural shit happen around him was already enough.

But he was wrong.

* * *

 _A/N Ha... So that was the beginning of Hitsugaya's life in the past. He had really high reiatsu, like Ichigo xD The next chapter, we're going to delve into the beginnings of his problems (and what caused his nighmares), so keep this story in your alert list! Thanks for reading guys!_

 ** _I am so so so sorry for the late update. I was really busy, and I will continue to be till maybe around June, especially since my exams are just around the corner. But I will try to update as often as I can. Do review guys, so I know you're all still there with me I hope you guys can understand ;-;_**


	30. FT COH: Breaking

_A/N Heyo guys~ I'm back! With a new chapter ;) So, in the previous chapter, we dive into Hitsugaya's past. Basically the first ten years of his life. Eh. But in this chapter, be prepared for more... Eh. You'll find out xD Enjoy~_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite does._**

* * *

"I have to say, kid, you've been getting yourself into a lot of trouble lately." The Shinigami known as Shiba Tetsura commented as he heaved Hitsugaya onto his shoulder, facing off against a Hollow.

Again.

Hitsugaya scowled, annoyance simmering within him. "I'm not a _kid,_ you old jeezer!" He snapped back rudely.

A smack to his chin.

"Calling me an _asshole_ was bad enough, but now you're calling me an _old jeezer_? Where's your sense of respect for your elders?"

"As far as _I'm_ concerned, you _are_ a jeezer, considering _you're friggin' dead_!"

Another smack.

The Hollow charged with an empty roar. "Get the f*ck out of my sight, Hollow! I'm dealing with a foul-mouthed brat here!" Tetsura unsheathed his katana.

A quick slash and it was over.

Hitsugaya glared daggers up at the Shinigami as he was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. Tetsura glared right back, an irritated frown creasing his face.

It had already been a month since they had met on that faithful night, and Hitsugaya had gotten chased around by Hollows of all kinds ever since then. At least thrice a day.

"Geez, I don't even know why I bother to save you." Tetsura scowled, sheathing his katana.

"Because it's your bloody job." Hitsugaya snarked back, standing up and dusting his pants.

On one occasion during the many times he had been saved, Hitsugaya had managed to pry out more information about 'Shinigami' and 'Hollows'.

Apparently, Shinigami were already dead. They came from a place called Soul Society, other wise known as _heaven_. They were guardians, trained to kill Hollows and send wandering souls up to Soul Society, and every month at the most, a Shinigami would be sent down to 'the real world'. The world Hitsugaya lived in.

And right now, that Shinigami was Tetsura.

Hitsugaya had scarcely believed the bullshit the man had been spouting (and still doubted it), but he decided to go with it. Nothing else could explain the phenomenal incidents occurring around him.

"I swear to god- Kid, you are by far the toughest person I have ever dealt with." Tetsura groaned, facepalming himself.

"Good." Hitsugaya sniffed, folding his arms over his chest.

"Can't you stop being so difficult and at least be _grateful_ to me? I've been risking my life for you for, like, at least a hundred times!" The Shinigami sputtered, looking frustrated.

"I never asked you to save me." The white-haired boy grumbled.

"But if I wasn't there, you would have been Hollow chow since a long time ago." Tetsura replied.

Hitsugaya grudgingly admitted to himself that the Shinigami was right.

"Alright, fine," he muttered. Head lowered. "... Thanks..."

"Good." Tetsura grinned.

* * *

Hitsugaya eventually learned more about the spiritual world.

Everyone had something called 'reiatsu' within them, and, depending on how high it is, one may be able to see spiritual beings, such as souls, Hollows and Shinigami.

Which explained Hitsugaya's ability to see ghosts.

And why he was being chased around by Hollows, as the monsters needed reiatsu in order to grow stronger.

It honestly annoyed him, and for that Tetsura liked to tease him, considering he was a ten-year-old in middle school.

* * *

A few days later, Tetsura was no longer around. Hitsugaya figured that the Shinigami had returned back to whatever _Soul Society_ place he belonged to. Well, good. He hoped that, since Tetsura was gone, he would be able to return to his usual, peaceful life.

How wrong he was.

* * *

Hollows still chased him around as he grew older, turning eleven, turning twelve. Hitsugaya often had a difficult time escaping their clutches, and somehow he missed having Tetsura around, as annoying as he was.

And adding to his worries was the fact that his father seemed to be getting more... upset about something.

Also angry.

Definitely angry.

* * *

Hitsugaya returned home from school one day to find the living room a complete wreck. He paused, blinking in silent shock, as he slowly closed the door behind him. "Tou-chan?" He called out, looking around the empty room. "Kaa-chan? Where are you?"

He heard the sound of sweeping from the kitchen. "Kaa-chan? Is that you?" He edged around the broken furniture and creeped towards the kitchen. A head of familiar blue hair.

"Ah, sweetheart." His mother stood up from where she was crouched on the floor, cleaning up broken shards of scattered glass. She sounded tired.

"Kaa-chan? What happened?" Hitsugaya asked worriedly, hurrying to his mother's side. Fujioka smiled wearily at him. Hitsugaya noticed the small cuts on her fingers. " _What happened_?" He repeated, eyes widening at the sight of the small beads of blood oozing from the cuts.

"... It's nothing, love," Fujioka replied, giving a light sigh. She plastered a wider smile on her face.

"Tell me Kaa-chan. Please." Hitsugaya murmured, gazing at his mother sadly. First the Hollows. Now this strange problem which his mother didn't want to explain to him.

Life sure loved to twist him around its finger and watch him as he floundered helplessly.

Fujioka's lower lip trembled. Then she slumped under Hitsugaya's pleading gaze. "... Your father threw a tantrum."

Hitsugaya blinked, bewildered. His _father_. A _tantrum_.

And it caused such a huge mess?

"Why?" He gulped, glancing around to see if Tsukikenshi was around. His mother shook her head.

"He's just stressed, sweetheart. His workload has been getting bigger and bigger. His job is very important. Just... try not to make him angry when he's at home." She gave him a thin smile.

Hitsugaya's throat grew dry.

* * *

As the years slowly trickled away, Tsukikenshi was rarely seen around the house. Hitsugaya only ever saw his father during the early morning weekends, sometimes during the latest of nights.

He himself had been getting busier. He joined high school at thirteen. Skipped a grade again.

Topped the whole school again.

Became his school's soccer team's ace player again.

The same envy, same praises, same comparisons and homework and loneliness.

But a different home.

Home was no longer loud and exuberant and colourful.

It had become dull, lifeless even. There was no happiness, no safety. Hardly any love.

All because his father was hardly around anymore.

* * *

The Hollow attacks had decreased gradually as Hitsugaya grew older. But the white-haired prodigy never saw Shiba Tetsura the Shinigami anymore. Sure, he encountered a few other Shinigami, but they were all... weird.

Some were arrogant.

Some were shy and awkward.

Some were _literally_ weird.

Hitsugaya asked those Shinigami if they knew Shiba Tetsura. Some said no. Others said yes. There were even a few 'whatevers'.

Those who said yes said Shiba Tetsura was _a ranking officer in the Gotei 13_ , whatever that was. They said Shiba Tetsura had no time to play with a _kid_ in the real world.

That earned them a rough kick to the ass.

* * *

Hitsugaya turned fifteen. He entered college.

Again, topping everyone and everything.

Same old things.

But home changed again, and this time for the worst.

* * *

Tsukikenshi lost his job. The company he worked as CEO for closed down due to dropping sales. That was why he had been stressed, and furious, and upset overall.

Tsukikenshi got angry, depressed. Some may even call him crazy, looking at the state he was in.

Hitsugaya was worried for his father, and his family. His mother was a housewife. His father had been the sole breadwinner in the family. But now he had lost his job.

Things were slowly beginning to fall apart in Hitsugaya's life.

* * *

Tsukikenshi became a drunk. He bought bottles and bottles of alcohol and spent the rest of his time sitting in the living room, watching the television and drinking. Fujioka asked him if he was going to find another job.

He didn't answer. He was too drunk.

Sometimes, in his room, Hitsugaya would hear his mother crying softly, and he would go out and comfort her. He hated seeing his mother cry.

Hitsugaya decided to take up a part-time job, considering his father was spending all of their money on useless wine. They were having financial problems now. His mother didn't want him to juggle his schooling with work, and said she would go instead. He refused.

Fujioka needed to take care of Tsukikenshi, after all. And besides, Hitsugaya was younger, and he didn't want his mother straining herself.

The white-haired prodigy took up a job at the nearby convenience store. It was easier for him that way, and his salary was reasonable. All the money he earned, he gave it to his mother for safekeeping.

He started participating in competitions which gave cash as prizes, in order to help lessen his family's growing crisis. He never showed any interest in such competitions before. His classmates wondered, why the sudden change?

Hitsugaya never explained it to them. Why should he? It was none of their concern anyway. He just needed the money.

Tsukikenshi still continued to drink. When he was out of wine, he would start throwing more tantrums. He smashed glass, broke wood. Picture frames flew and shattered. Their house became a constant mess.

And Hitsugaya would watch sadly as his mother continued to cry.

* * *

Hitsugaya turned sixteen, and that was the turning point in his life.

Tsukikenshi found the money that Hitsugaya had earned in Fujioka's drawers. He accused his own wife of being selfish, then took the money and bought more wine, much to both Hitsugaya's and Fujioka's dismay.

They were back to square one.

Hitsugaya took up another job as a waiter.

This time, he kept his earnings himself.

* * *

Some new students entered the college Hitsugaya studied in. Thugs, of a sort. With dyed hair, piercings, burly figures, whatever. They liked to harass him, due to his stranger appearance. Tried to make him fearful of them, only to be shot back down by his own sharp tongue.

 _Monster,_ they called him.

 _Freak,_ they said.

 _Mommy's precious little boy._

Hitsugaya ignored their comments. He had other things to do, like his work at the store and at the restaurant. His studies. His soccer training.

His _family._

He had no time to deal with a bunch of thugs who didn't know how to respect others.

* * *

The Hollow attacks started up again. Hitsugaya escaped (just barely) every time. He often saw a few of the monsters flying in the skies, staring down at him. Waiting to strike.

He decided to ignore them. He had no time for such things.

The Shinigami were supposed to deal with them, anyways.

Tsukikenshi had become more violent. Every night, Hitsugaya would hear his mother sob.

It broke his heart, to see his once happy family crumbling apart.

* * *

Everything began to change.

Tsukikenshi continued trashing the house, despite Fujioka's pleas for him to stop. He demanded for more wine. Beer. Vodka. Whatever.

He found out that Hitsugaya was working two jobs, and discovered the money Hitsugaya had tried to hide in a small safe.

 _Useless boy,_ his father screamed in his face, eyes red and red and red. Baggy, sunken, pale. _Why do you work for? You can't do anything right._

Tsukikenshi slapped him. _How dare you hide the money?_

Another slap. _Stingy brat._

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Hitsugaya's cheeks burned, but he didn't cry. He never cried. Not once, in his entire sixteen years of life. Even though his father's words hurt. Even though his heart ached with loss. It was the first time anyone actually slapped him.

Fujioka cried again and again, begging her husband to stop.

But Tsukikenshi didn't listen.

He never listened anymore.

* * *

Hitsugaya continued to work. He would help his family, no matter what. Tsukikenshi was just depressed. He wasn't in his right mind. Everything would work out in the end.

They would be happy again.

He kept clinging to that small hope.

Even as his father spat at him. Called him useless, again and again and again. Ungrateful. Worthless.

 _I can't believe I have such a hideous son like you._

The words stung. But Hitsugaya shook them away. He had to be patient. Patience was a virtue. Eventually, things would return to normal. No more pain, no more tears, no more sadness.

Again, he was wrong.

* * *

Things just became even worse.

Fujioka wanted things to stop. She wanted the peace they had back then. She wanted the old Tsukikenshi back again.

She tried negotiating with him.

 _Stop this, Tsuki. Please. We'll buy you a bottle once a week, how about that? Just please, stop._

 _We don't have a lot of money now. Please let Toushiro-chan work. He's the only one who's working. Please._

 _Tsuki, I beg you, please stop. We still love you, just stop this. Please._

Begging and begging and begging. Hitsugaya watched on silently as his father screamed, and his mother weeped.

It continued that way for a few more days. Every time he came home from work, he would see his parents again. Fujioka pleading. Tsukikenshi shrieking. The same routine, over and over. Hitsugaya didn't know how to console them. He didn't know how to make everything right again.

It was all so confusing. He was upset, and stressed, and overall frustrated.

He just wanted everything to stop.

* * *

One day, when he came home, Hitsugaya was met with a different sight.

His father was kicking his mother. Fujioka was on the floor, silent. Bleeding.

Hitsugaya was shocked. He tried to stop his father from harming his mother anymore than that.

 _Your mother wants a divorce. After everything I've done for her!_

A divorce. It made sense why Fujioka would want a divorce.

She couldn't take anymore of Tsukikenshi's violence and stubbornness.

Hitsugaya tried protecting his mother, pushing his father away.

But his father accused him of wanting to leave too. He dragged him to the kitchen. Turned on the stove. Shoved Hitsugaya's hand into the flames.

 _What's there to be afraid of, little Toshi? Where's the big, fearsome hero from just now?_

Hitsugaya had never felt such pain in his life. The flames ate at his palm, burning hot and bright, devouring him hungrily. Cruelly.

He screamed, only to have Tsukikenshi slap a hand over his mouth, muffling him.

Hitsugaya tried to twist away, tried to escape from his father, from the flames burning him alive. His chest twisted.

He smelled burning flesh.

And then the tears came, streaming down, prickling his cheeks like small thorns. His heart throbbed with heartbreak, as he thrased in his father's grip.

Tsukikenshi let go.

Hitsugaya collapsed on the ground, kneeling over, clutching his bloodied, burnt, mutilated hand to his chest. Crying. The tears wouldn't stop gushing out, like the blood that dripped on the floor from his wounded palm.

Non-stop.

A river of sadness, and Hitsugaya felt faint. The world became too bright. Too small.

Tsukikenshi grabbed him by the back of his collar. Dragged him down to the basement as he whimpered.

Hitsugaya saw his mother. Fujioka was unconscious, a cut on her head bleeding.

Tsukikenshi threw him at the wall, and his hand stung with excruciating pain. He bit back a cry.

His father grabbed some rope from the storage boxes. Tied Hitsugaya's wrists, as much as his hand still throbbed and felt like it was going to drop off. Forced him to his knees.

Slap. _Disobedient._

Slap. _Ungrateful._

Slap. _Disgusting._

Slap. _Wretched._

Slap. _Pathetic._

Each word, accompanied by a slap to Hitsugaya's face. His jaw was sore. His cheeks throbbed. His eyes burned. His tears flowed.

His heart was slowly tearing open.

His father grabbed at his hair. Pulled at it. _Freak,_ he grinned. _You're hideous._

 _A monster._

Sobbing. Hitsugaya couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted it to stop.

 _Tou-chan, please. This isn't you. Please stop, I'm sorry._

Tsukikenshi didn't hear. Dilated eyes. In the dark of the basement, they looked like blood.

Hitsugaya felt something sharp press against his chest, directly between his collarbones. It slid down, grazing his skin. His shirt was cut open.

 _I'll make you obedient, even if I have to torture and rape you myself,_ his father purred. Hitsugaya froze, and he was blindfolded. Fingers brushed his chest, running smoothly down his hips.

 _Tou-chan, n-no._

He felt something wet against his neck, rasping up and down, up and down.

 _Please._

Cool metal slid up his stomach.

 _I'm s-sorry._

Teeth nipped sharply at his skin, and he flinched.

 _Please s-stop._

Repeated apologies. Hitsugaya shivered as his father touched him, defiled his body with the blade of a small penknife. Cutting, scratching, teasing, poking. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

 _Please, stop this Tou-chan. I'm sorry. I won't do it again._

Ignored again. Tsukikenshi didn't care what he said, didn't listen to his pleas.

Teeth sank into Hitsugaya's skin, and he cried out at the pain of it. The penknife nuzzled his back. Pierced into him. Slid up. And Hitsugaya screamed again, the tears rolling, the blood roaring in his ears. He thrashed, struggling against the ropes binding him.

The blade continued its way up his back leisurely, and he arched, letting out choked noises of agony. Begging his father to stop.

 _Tou-chan, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop! It hurts!_

He could feel the blood dripping down his back. Hear the splashing of it as it landed on the floor in splatters. He trembled, uttering words which were ignored, crying tears which were unseen.

His father stood up, went behind him. Cut open the back of his shirt.

Stabbed the penknife into his flesh.

Another scream of anguish, and Hitsugaya sobbed. He flinched, tensing, arching, shrieking, as Tsukikenshi slowly, _slowly,_ engraved words into his back.

He felt the strokes of the blade, spelling out letters.

U-S-E-L-E-S-S

W-O-R-T-H-L-E-S-S

All over his skin, into his flesh, imprinting his body. There would be scars. A reminder.

Hitsugaya's heart twisted as his father spelled out vulgarities, curses, words and words and words, till his back was completely red with torn skin. A numbness settled in his gut as his body burned with fire.

The world was black.

A suffocating, sinister black.

Never had he been so aware of the huge growing, gaping hole that had embedded itself in his chest, since a long time ago.

Since the day his father changed.

* * *

Hitsugaya woke up and found himself in the hospital. His mother sat beside his bed, crying softly, holding onto his hand.

He couldn't feel his back. Or his other hand, for that matter. They were completely numb.

The world felt numb.

The events from the previous night flashed through his mind, and his head spun. His chest ached again, a dull, clenching ache.

Tsukikenshi had abused him.

He squeezed his mother's hand as he gazed at her sadly, remembering the tears, the pain that shook his body to the core. The words.

Fujioka perked up, saw him staring at her. Burst into more tears, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead. Just crying.

Hitsugaya touched her wet cheek. Brushed away her tears. Offered her a small, saddened smile. His mother sniffled, and bowed her head, holding his hand close to her. Tighter. As if she was afraid he would disappear.

She never smiled anymore.

Hitsugaya missed her smile.

When she smiled, the world became brighter, more full of colour and life and joy.

But now it was colourless and dead. Twisted, like his father's heart had become.

A broken world.

* * *

 _A/N Well, yeah. There'll be more... Uh... Gore and torture in the next chapter, I'm sorry So poor Hitsugaya gets beaten pretty badly by his dad. ;-; In the next chapter, things get a lot worse. But, there'll be something else too ^^ Thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoyed it!_

 ** _I'm trying to use whatever little free time I have to update this story again! Do review guys! I want to know what you think Thanks again!_**


	31. FT COH: Agony

_A/N Hey guys, I'm back! In the previous chapter, Hitsugaya turns sixteen, and he gets tortured really badly by his father. In this chapter, more torture ._. But also something else... Which may be actually be something good xD Read on to find out! Enjoy!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite does._**

* * *

Hitsugaya stayed in the hospital for at least a week, recuperating. He would often slip in and out of consciousness.

Fujioka would always visit him from the time visiting hours started. She would come into his ward, sit down beside his bed, and hold his hand, staring at him. Just staring at him. At times, when there was homework from school, she would pick them up for him and bring them along with her, so he could conplete them.

His mother would often talk about the events happening in school, or around the town. The latest news, the juiciest gossip. But never about home.

Never about Tsukikenshi.

Hitsugaya wondered why she never said anything about his father. How were things at home? He didn't know. How was his mother coping? He couldn't read her expression. Her face was a constant blank mask.

He asked her about it, once. _How is Tou-chan?_

She kept quiet, eyes glazing over with sadness, guilt, grief, and an emotion Hitsugaya rarely saw her express.

 _Anger._

She said that Tsukikenshi was alright. _Same as always._ And after that, she fell silent, leaving for a short while.

Hitsugaya wondered why she got mad. Was it something he said? Was his question wrong?

But then she came back, with a smile plastered on her face, her voice cheery and bright.

Everything about her sudden, happy facade was forced.

 _Fake._

And Hitsugaya didn't know why.

* * *

He got discharged from the hospital some time later, when his wounds hurt less, and he could walk straight. Fujioka seemed happy that he was already healed, almost fully, and brought him to a café to celebrate his recovery.

"What would you like, Toushiro-chan?" Fujioka asked, giving him a small smile. Hitsugaya stared at the menu, unable to decide on anything. He wasn't particularly hungry.

"I think I'll just have some tea." He answered, scratching the back of his head as he leaned back on his chair. His mother frowned.

"How about some cake? Or maybe a sundae?" She suggested.

"Well... I suppose a sundae would be nice..." he muttered in response, flipping to the desserts section of the menu.

Hitsugaya was very aware of eyes on his back, and he shifted uncomfortably, bringing his chair closer to the table. Fujioka noticed his unease, and glanced around. There were people staring at him, mainly women.

A waitress came by, wanting to take down their orders. "What would you like?" She asked sweetly. Hitsugaya was also very aware of how she batted her lashes at him and twirled her hair in her fingers, not paying much attention to his mother as Fujioka pointed out a few dishes.

"Yes, yes," the waitress said absently, continuing to stare at him as she took down his mother's orders. "How about you sir?" She seemed to coo at him, and Hitsugaya mentally grimaced. What was the waitress even doing? Was she trying to flirt with him?

"Kaa-chan, which sundae should I choose?" He asked Fujioka, deciding to ignore the waitress for the time being. Fujioka stared at the menu thoughtfully.

"Maybe the Triple Chocolate Delight! That sounds delicious." She said, pointing it out on the menu. Hitsugaya shuddered at the thought of _triple chocolate._

"No thank you. Should I try the Watermelon Explosion?" He asked, appealed by the sound of watermelon. He did like watermon, after all. It was his favourite fruit. Possibly the only fruit he actually liked to eat. Fujioka knew that too.

"I-" his mother said, but was interrupted by the waitress when she leaned down in front of him so that her chest hung in front of his face and gave him a rather disturbingly clear view of her cleavage.

"Ooh, that one's my favourite!" She chirped. "You should definitely try it."

"Excuse me, miss," Fujioka said softly, in a dangerous tone Hitsugaya never heard her use before. The waitress stiffened.

"Are you going to let us decide our orders in peace, or are you going to continue to _hit on my son_?"

Hitsugaya stared at his mother in shock as Fujioka glowered at the waitress, who was now blubbering, looking mortified. "I-I would never do such a thing, miss!" The waitress stammered.

"Then do explain why you were shoving your chest in my poor son's face," Fujioka shot back flatly. The waitress fell silent, lips pursed, cheeks burning red.

"If you want to flirt with people, I would suggest you do it more discreetly. Anyone could see that you were trying to _seduce_ my son with your flirtatious antics." His mother finished. The waitress didn't reply.

A rather awkward silence fell, and Hitsugaya realised that the waitress was waiting for his order. "U-uh... one Watermelon Explosion, please." He coughed. The waitress jotted it down, then marched off, fists clenched.

Another silence.

Hitsugaya glanced at his mother, wondering what on earth had just happened. It wasn't everyday he saw Fujioka angry.

Everyone was changing.

"My son has grown into such a handsome boy," his mother suddenly said, with a small smile of affection. "It's no wonder the women around you are staring at you and trying to flirt with you."

Hitsugaya coughed, feeling embarrassed. He was handsome? No, he didn't think so. Wasn't he just like everyone else, except for his unnatural appearance? "I'm not handsome, Kaa-chan." He muttered.

"Of course you are," Fujioka beamed. "But you have to get yourself a good girlfriend in the future. One who genuinely loves you for who you are, not for your appearance only."

"I'm not ready for that kind of thing Kaa-chan." Hitsugaya protested. Fujioka merely smiled, and he felt a surge of warmth, seeing his mother's smiling face start to return.

Their food came shortly, served by a waiter. He smiled and elegantly placed their dishes on the table.

"So, Toushiro-chan," Fujioka said as they started eating. "I've just found a new job."

Hitsugaya stopped short, staring at his mother. "What?"

"I now have a job. It gives a reasonable salary. I'm now the school counsellor in your old middle school." She gushed out, her eyes shining.

"But Kaa-chan, you don't have to. I-" Hitsugaya began.

"Toushiro-chan," Fujioka cut in with a sigh. "You still haven't fully recovered. The doctor said you can't do anything strenuous for at least another week. I've already told your two managers about this, and they've given you the week off work."

Hitsugaya couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Kaa-chan, you can't just go around telling my managers that I can't work for a week! I'm perfectly fine." He insisted. "And besides, what about Tou-chan? Who's going to take care of him while I go to school if you're working?"

He didn't want his mother tiring herself. He alone could work for the family. He was _perfectly_ fine.

Fujioka was silent. "Toushiro-chan... Do you still love your father?" She asked quietly, teal eyes dark. Hitsugaya stiffened, glancing at his sundae, head lowered.

"I..." he murmured.

"Even after what he did to you?" She went on softly.

Hitsugaya didn't know how to respond. Memories from the incident with his father flashed through his mind- the stabbing, torture, abuse, burning, and the pain, the pain, the pain. He grimaced, pursing his lips.

"... Yes," he finally whispered. Fujioka's gaze hardened, and Hitsugaya shrank into himself. "I... I just want to believe that he's just stressed. He's just tired, angry, and needs to let it out. I know he didn't mean all of that. I just..." he sighed, slumping. "I just want everything to return to how they used to be..."

"I do too, my love," Fujioka replied, her expression kept carefully blank. "But your father has been like this for a year already, maybe two. It can't continue like this."

"But Kaa-chan..." Hitsugaya started, gazing at his mother sadly. Fujioka shook her head, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.

He stared at his sundae. It was beginning to melt.

They ate slowly in silence, until a male voice broke it.

"Eh? Is that you, Fujioka?"

Hitsugaya glanced up to see a man with dark blue hair, and surprised brown eyes. Fujioka turned and spotted the man.

Immediately, she broke into the biggest smile Hitsugaya had ever seen since his father changed. "Rai-kun! What a coincidence to meet you here!" She exclaimed brightly.

Hitsugaya was thoroughly confused. Who was this guy? How did he know his mother?

The man known as Rai then spotted Hitsugaya staring at him. "Oh, you must be Fujioka's son, Toushiro." He said, grinning.

"Yes he is, Rai-kun," Fujioka laughed lightly. Hitsugaya now stared at his mother. _She was laughing._ After such a long time, she was laughing again.

 _What the f*ck?_

"Toushiro-chan, meet Rai-kun. He's the other counsellor in school, and I'm working with him." His mother said brightly.

"Oh." Hitsugaya could only cough out, blinking. He was still processing the sight of his mother being so weirdly happy in the presence of the man. It rather disturbed him actually, for some strange reason.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Your mother has told me a lot about you." Rai said, with that big grin still plastered on his face. He stretched out his hand. Hitsugaya was rather unnerved, but nonetheless took his hand and shook it.

"Is... that so?" He mumbled, glancing at his mother.

"Of course! Soccer star and undefeated prodigy eh?" The man winked, letting out a hearty chuckle.

Hitsugaya did _not_ like this man.

He did not trust anyone who seemed overly-friendly.

Rai was being overly-friendly.

"I guess?" Hitsugaya muttered, lowering his gaze.

"Don't be shy! I don't bite at all." Rai smiled, his brown eyes shining.

"Right. Of course." Hitsugaya coughed, turning his attention back on his sundae.

"Mind if I join you?" Rai asked, and Fujioka warmly welcomed him. The man pulled over a seat and settled down.

"I heard you got injured in an accident. How are you feeling?" He asked Hitsugaya, and Hitsugaya paused for a moment, wondering why the man would even ask such a thing.

"I'm... doing better?" He tried, though his response was uncertain. Rai frowned at that.

Funny. Hitsugaya thought the man was incapable of frowning. He seemed to have a permanent smile on his face after all.

"Are you sure? You seem rather tired."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

Fujioka was watching their exchange closely, worry creasing her face. Was it by the fact that Hitsugaya was being wary around the man, or the fact that Rai wasn't talking to her? Hitsugaya didn't know.

A silence fell, with Rai being rather awkward, constantly glancing at Hitsugaya nervously.

Hitsugaya finished his sundae, and stood up.

"Where are you going Toushiro-chan?" Fujioka asked, her eyes wide.

"I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back soon." He answered simply. By leaving, he could let the two adults talk about whatever matters they wanted. Obviously, Rai was too tense around him to even let out a word.

"Well... be careful okay? You're still recovering." His mother said anxiously.

Hitsugaya offered her a soothing smile. "I'll be fine. It's just to stretch a bit more."

He left the cafe and headed in the direction of the river.

 _Perhaps I should... check up on Tou-chan._

Hitsugaya paused at the thought, and chewed on his lip. Should he? He actually felt rather terrified at the idea of going home to see how his father was doing. The wounds on his back throbbed, and Hitsugaya shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

 _It'll just be a quick check... Nothing to worry about._

He steeled himself and walked towards the direction of his house.

In ten minutes, he had reached it, and stood nervously at the door. The house seemed to give off an ominous aura, and he grimaced.

That was when he heard crashing sounds. "Tou-chan!" He cried out in a panic. He tried the doorknob, and was surprised to find it unlocked.

Hitsugaya entered warily, and his panic increased when he realised that the house was completely dark. "Tou-chan...?" He called out, brows creased. A shudder ran up his spine, and he reached for the light switch.

A hand grabbed him by the collar and yanked him into the gloom.

The door slammed shut, and the house was bathed in darkness once more.

"I was looking for you," came his father's voice, and Hitsugaya felt something cold and sharp being pressed against his neck. It traced his jawline and pressed into his chin, tilting his head up. A prick of pain.

Hitsugaya didn't dare to move. He could sense his father in front of him, still holding onto his collar.

"Where have you been?"

Hitsugaya suddenly felt his legs being swept under him, and collapsed onto the ground. Excruciating pain ravaged his body as his back landed, and he cried out, wincing.

The same sharp thing was now pressed against his throat, as his father dug his elbow into his stomach. Hitsugaya now realised it was a knife.

"Where. Have. You. Been?" Tsukikenshi hissed, and Hitsugaya flinched at the venom in his father's voice.

"I-I was... at the hospital... Recuperating..." he swallowed, feeling a stab of fear.

His father was silent, and Hitsugaya caught sight of his glowing red eyes.

"Hospital?" He laughed hoarsely, and Hitsugaya's breath hitched when the knife was pressed harder against his throat. He could feel the blood oozing out.

"An insolent brat like you doesn't deserve to go to the hospital," Tsukikenshi spat, and the pressure on Hitsugaya's stomach increased. "You only deserve to bleed and suffer."

Hitsugaya trembled as his father grabbed him by the hair and yanked him to his knees. He coughed, and Tsukikenshi roughly kicked him in the back. He screamed as sharp pain tore through his body, and collapsed back on the ground.

"T-Tou-chan," he whispered pleadingly, on the verge of tears. "Please don't do this anymore."

His father didn't listen.

Instead, he dragged Hitsugaya back down to the basement.

The place where he was first abused.

Again the ropes. The blindfold. Now there was a gag, presumably to keep him quiet so the neighbours wouldn't be suspicious.

Hitsugaya knelt in the coldness of the room, shaking, his breathing rapid from the fear that throbbed in his heart.

 _No more._

He heard his father's footsteps, and his shirt was sliced open once more.

The sound of a scowl, and Hitsugaya felt fingers trace down his spine. It gave him goosebumps, and he tensed. "Pathetic." His father growled, and the bandages that were wrapped around his body were quickly ripped off.

Hitsugaya flinched.

His back was aching, and felt like it was on fire.

 _No more._

The knife ran over the stitches on his back, and Hitsugaya was reminded of the words that his father had engraved into his skin. A soft whimper came out, and he immediately clammed his mouth shut.

"You brat," Tsukikenshi snarled, and the knife dug into his skin. Hitsugaya let out a cry, which became a muffled scream as his father began to brutally slash at his back once more. "You brat, you _brat_! How _dare_ you think your wounds deserve to be treated. Worthless trash!"

The words again.

Hitsugaya shook his head as his body flinched at each strike, his wounds cried bloody tears. The pain was indescribable.

 _No more...!_

 _I'm sorry Tou-chan._

Tsukikenshi grabbed his face, nails digging into his cheeks.

Fingers flew over Hitsugaya's body, caressing him, _touching_ him. Hitsugaya couldn't help but let out a strangled sob, and tears descended, rolling down his face.

"I'll teach you how to be _obedient_ , you arrogant vermin." His father hissed.

Obedience. His father wanted obedience.

Why?

 _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

Hitsugaya didn't know why he was apologising. He hadn't done anything wrong. He _was_ obedient- he had always listened to his parents.

Yet his father was torturing him.

And Hitsugaya didn't know why.

The knife was now prodding his chest. His father played with the nubs on his body. Hitsugaya felt teeth sink into his neck, and that wet tongue from before.

Molestation.

Defilement.

Ravaging pain accompanied them all.

His father began to slash at his chest as well.

And Hitsugaya continued to scream.

 _I'm sorry. I won't do it again._

 _I'm sorry, Tou-chan._

* * *

When his father was finally done with him, Hitsugaya's binds were taken off, and he crumpled to the ground.

Laid in a pool of his own scarlet blood.

The pain was still there. It would always be there. Hitsugaya was certain it would never go away, ever again.

There was the sound of a door slamming. Tsukikenshi must have left.

Hitsugaya continued to lie there, motionless, the immense agony inflicted on his body preventing him from drifting off into unconsciousness. How long had he been stuck in the basement, unable to do anything but let his father break him?

He felt a vibration in his pocket, and realised that it was his phone.

Another vibration.

The soft tune of his ringtone echoed loudly in the suffocating silence.

Who was calling him?

Hitsugaya reached up with a shaky hand and pulled down the gag in his mouth, followed by the blindfold. Even his arms hurt.

Then he reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

His fingers shook, and it slipped from his grasp, into the pool of blood below.

Hitsugaya watched it dazedly as it continued to ring and vibrate, his arm falling limp at his side. He gathered up the rest of his strength, and answered the call, putting it to speaker mode.

The caller was his mother.

 _"Toushiro-chan?"_

Hitsugaya found that he couldn't speak, his mouth opening, but no sound coming out. He swallowed, and tried again.

"Yes, Kaa-chan?" He cringed at how cracked his voice sounded, and had to hold back a cough.

His mother didn't reply for a moment. _"Are you okay? You sound like you're in pain. Where are you?"_

Hitsugaya shifted uncomfortably, and winced as his body screamed at him for the movement.

"I... I'm alright. Just... a little tired," He lied.

His mother already had enough to do. She didn't have to know that he was being abused again. That was the least of her worries.

"And... I'm at home. Like I said, I'm tired so..." he trailed off.

Another silence.

 _"Your father...?"_

Hitsugaya flinched, and forced back the tears that had begun to form in his eyes.

"He's... asleep."

 _"Asleep."_ His mother repeated, sounding unconvinced.

Yet another silence.

 _"Is there something you're not telling me, Toushiro-chan?"_

Hitsugaya swallowed again. "No. Why would you say that?"

 _"I feel like you're lying to me."_

At that, he tensed, and clenched his fists. Slowly, he forced himself to sit up, and his wounds hissed at him, biting back. His arms almost gave way.

"I'm not," he answered, voice straining. He picked up his phone. The screen was smeared with his blood. "I'm just tired. I'm going to take a nap."

 _"... Alright. I'll be back soon."_

"Kaa-chan," Hitsugaya murmured, tentatively touching his neck. He could feel the wounds, still oozing blood. He felt lightheaded. Faint. "Do we... have any bandages?"

 _"Yes, they're in the first aid kit in the basement. Why do you ask?"_ his mother said. A tone of panic had entered her voice. _"Did you get hurt again? Did your father-"_

"Just in case," Hitsugaya cut in. His tears streamed down his cheeks. "Just in case... something happens. I'm okay."

His mother didn't answer. _"Please take care of yourself, Toushiro-chan. If anything were to happen to you again, I couldn't... I wouldn't be able to live with myself."_

"Yes," he replied numbly. His shoulders shook. "I will,"

He took in a shuddery breath.

"I'm sorry, Kaa-chan."

 _"... What for?"_

"I'm sorry for being a burden on you."

 _"You aren't a burden, sweetheart. You're my precious son,"_ His mother sounded confused. _"I would never think of you as a burden, nor would I ever abandon you."_

Hitsugaya pressed his lips together to stop the sob that was rising in his throat.

"... You promise?" He choked out.

 _"Always, my love."_

"I'll see you soon, then," Hitsugaya swallowed. "Bye, Kaa-chan. I love you."

Before his mother could reply, he hung up.

Hitsugaya stared at his phone, covered in dark red liquid, and lowered his head. He had gotten 21 text messages from his mother before the call, asking where he was. He released his pent-up sobs, and they rattled in his chest.

He was glad his mother wasn't around to see him in such a fragile state.

He was glad his mother didn't have to witness his heartbroken tears.

* * *

The days following that incident were filled with blood and hazy pain.

Everyday, his father would drag Hitsugaya down to the basement for more torture.

Everyday, he would suffer for things he didn't do, things which didn't make sense.

And everyday, Hitsugaya would have to quickly patch himself up again, so his mother wouldn't suspect a thing.

His wounds weren't healing.

He had to keep buying more bandages, and ointment, and medication.

It didn't help that the thugs at his school were still harrassing him. The Hollows were still hunting him.

He had to go to work again.

His body began to become strained from all the work. He couldn't sleep because of the overwhelming pain which constantly kept him awake at night.

Hitsugaya was tired.

And yet there was no time to rest.

He had to keep working. He had to help himself, and his family.

On some days, Hitsugaya would find himself on the verge of passing out. Those occasions were dangerous, as they risked him being sent to the hospital again, and his mother finding out of his constant injuries.

He couldn't afford to fall unconscious. His mother already had enough to worry about.

He didn't want to worry her more.

There was no need for anyone to find out about his situation.

He continued to excel in his studies, and did his best in his jobs. He seemed to have become a favourite amongst the women at the restaurant where he served as a waiter, as they kept coming to eat there and asked for him to cater to them.

He wondered why.

* * *

When November came, Hitsugaya was confronted by the thugs in his college.

Apparently, they wanted something from him, though he didn't know what.

They cornered him in an alleyway, then began _demanding that he do their homework for them._

That was the most ridiculous thing Hitsugaya had ever heard.

"Why should I?" He asked, scowling. As much as possible, he wanted to avoid a fight. If he was in his best condition, he could have easily taken them on, but his body was currently figuring out how to fix itself, and was definitely not in tip-top shape.

"Because we said so." One of the boys said cockily.

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

"I'm not a part of your pathetic gang. You don't order me around." He spat, glaring at them. The thugs seemed to become rather pissed at his words, though some were unnerved.

"You better listen to what we say, or else." Another boy threatened.

"You bullies are just all words and no bite," Hitsugaya scoffed. "I'll have you know, I'm a black belt in karate. _You_ are the ones who should be careful."

That stirred up more of a reaction.

"Think you're so tough, huh? Well, let's see what you've got to say when you taste my fist in your face!" The first bully yelled, and swung at him.

Hitsugaya dodged easily.

More blows, all avoided.

It was going well, until Hitsugaya's back decided to stiffen up. He flinched, and one of the bullies punched him in the stomach.

The punch wasn't very strong, but he crumpled due to the growing pain flooding his body. Hitsugaya gasped, clutching his stomach. His body trembled from the agony, and he groaned, struggling to get up.

Apparently, his body decided to shut down there and then, and he couldn't move anymore.

He was just too tired.

"Not so tough now, huh?" One of the thugs snickered, and roughly kicked him in the gut.

Hitsugaya cried out, and found himself coughing up blood. He felt something warm and sticky, and realised that the wounds at his stomach were bleeding again.

Bright red spread through the white of his uniform.

The thugs seemed surprised. Hitsugaya mentally cursed himself. Now they knew he was injured. There was going to be no end to their demands. If he didn't listen to them, they could easily knock him down.

Another zap of pain, and he grunted, wincing.

One of the thugs made a movement, and Hitsugaya braced himself for the worst.

Until a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Toushiro!"

Hitsugaya's sight began to blur. He wondered if he was hearing things. But the voice came again, louder and closer this time.

"You bastards, what did you do to him?" Footsteps shook the ground. There were yells, and smacks. Scrambling. The bullies' voices drifted off into the distance.

Then strong hands grabbed him, and lifted him up.

"Oi, kid. Are you alright? What happened to you?"

He knew that voice. He definitely knew it. It was a voice he hadn't heard in six years.

His vision cleared enough for him to see his rescuer's face.

"Tetsu... ra...?" Hitsugaya whispered hoarsely.

Shiba Tetsura, the Shinigami he met six years ago, smiled down sadly at him. "Hey." He said.

For the strangest of reasons, Hitsugaya felt an immense relief at seeing the Shinigami. It lifted the weight off his heart slightly, and for the first time in years, he felt safe.

He managed a smile.

A small, exhausted smile.

"... Hey."

And then his vision waned, and darkness crashed down on him.

* * *

 _A/N That's it for now! Hitsugaya goes through more pain, but he meets Rai, and Tetsura returns! What will hapoen to him next? Stay tuned to find out! Thanks for reading!_

 ** _I really apologise for not updating in five months. School's been getting to me, and I'm lucky enough to find time to update. I'll slowly get back to more regular updates. Readers, if you're still there, do review and tell me what you think of this chapter ;-; Thanks!_**


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